


fight

by healingice



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2019-10-06 18:12:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17350115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/healingice/pseuds/healingice
Summary: chaeyoung has been fighting since forever, it's what she knows and is comfortable with. it's no surprise that she's korea's rising MMA star, with tons of wins to her name. however, she is up for the largest fight of her life, and her fists may not be able to help her this time. will she be able to emerge victorious again?loosely inspired by k-drama "fight for my way" and twice's "one more time" mv





	1. prologue

When people think about martial arts, many think of it as self-defence. When people think about mixed martial arts (MMA), they see it as just mere entertainment on television. But for Chaeyoung, it’s a way of life. It was what she grew up knowing. Now, that doesn’t mean she’s violent, but she will fight when she has to. Being the scrawniest kid in the orphanage meant that she was always the target of bullying, so she can either run, or choose to fight back. She chose the latter. 

The bullies began to bother her less, but the potential adoptive parents also didn’t want to bother with her, being known as the violent kid. (She didn’t mind, preferring to stay in the shadows with her sketchbook.) But as the years go by and as she gets older, the chances of getting adopted also decreases. Parents looking for kids always pick the cuter, younger ones first, leaving the older kids behind. The orphanage offers foster care to the older kids, where they are assigned to foster homes to experience family life. 

Chaeyoung was 10 when she saw her foster parents for the first time. The Yoos live in a modest house, and had big smiles on their faces when they saw her. She decides that they are nice enough, that she can probably survive in her new foster home. But behind them is their daughter, who only nods at her chicly to acknowledge her, response very different from her parents who greeted her with warm hugs. Yoo Jeongyeon is three years older, but also a few good inches taller, and Chaeyoung has her fences up, ready to pounce if the older girl tries anything. (It’s always the older kids that like to pick on her the most, and she doesn’t expect anything less.) 

The older girl doesn’t. She had treaded over to Chaeyoung’s side of the room, causing her to immediately tense up and hold up her fists at her. Jeongyeon just stared at her, before reaching to turn the lights off and walking back to her side of the room. Plopping down on her bed, the older girl mumbled out a goodnight before turning her back to Chaeyoung. The blows didn’t come, but she still doesn’t trust the older girl.

\--

The days where she has to worry about getting a blanket thrown over her head and being beaten up senselessly is over, but it doesn’t mean it’s entirely gone. She runs into the older kids from the orphanage in school, and fear immediately invades her veins, her fists already clenched as they surround and trap her. They smirk, and she tries her best to fight back, but she’s outnumbered and outsized. She’s crumpled into a ball on the floor, taking the blows silently, wishing that it will stop already. 

“Leave her alone!” A voice screams out, and the owner of the voice runs and sends a flying kick to one of the guys. She ends up on the floor beside Chaeyoung in a few seconds, obviously no fight for the big guys. 

The bullies had left, but the two continue to lie on the ground, bloodied and beaten to a pulp, too in pain to move. Chaeyoung didn’t understand why the girl beside her had interfered, it wasn’t her fight, she could have just left. They weren’t going to kill her anyway, because they need her alive to continue to be their punching bag. She wasn’t in danger, not any life-threatening one anyway. 

“You didn’t have to interfere, you know.” Chaeyoung groans out, every inch of her body aching. 

“And what? Leave you to die here?” The girl retorts, but immediately groans, feeling the pain from even speaking. 

“Well, now we are both going to die here, smart ass.” Chaeyoung rolls her eyes as she coughs a little. 

“No, we are not, and it’s Jeongyeon-unnie for you.” The older girl splutters out, shaking her head at how ungrateful this little brat is when she has just saved her. (Okay, technically she didn’t, they had just gotten beaten up together.) 

“I will call you unnie if we get out of this alive.” The younger girl scoffs, wondering if that is really important at this moment when they don’t even know if they can get out of this place alive. 

“Deal.”


	2. don't get hurt

“Jeongyeon-unnie!” Chaeyoung whines as the older girl keeps eating the food she’s cooking. If she’s going to keep eating her food, there’s going to be none left for _her_ girl, and that can’t do. “Cook your own food!”

 

“This ungrateful brat, I shouldn’t have saved you then!” She knocks Chaeyoung’s head, clicking her tongue. She had saved this little brat from dying that time in school, but here she is, making noise when she is just eating _one_ little piece of sausage from her.

 

“You didn’t save me, you just got beaten up with me.” Chaeyoung rolls her eyes as she pours the sausages into a penguin themed lunch box, pushing them into one corner so that there is space for her to put fruits later.

 

“Shut up the two of you, both of you would have been dead if it wasn’t for me.” Nayeon deadpans.

 

_(Her phone rings, and Jeongyeon opens her eyes, knowing that that is their help line. She doesn’t even have to see her phone to know that it’s her best friend on the other end, calling to scream at her for being late to their meeting. Well, her friend is just going to be even more livid when she knows that she’s late because she’s lying here, dying with her younger foster sister. She sees her phone that has skidded a few feet away during the fight, and grunts as she reaches for it._

_“YAH YOO JEONGYEON WHERE ARE YOU?!” The voice over the phone booms and Jeongyeon doesn’t even flinch, poking at Chaeyoung to make sure she’s still alive. The younger girl groans, and Jeongyeon heaves a sigh of relief._

_“Hi Nabongs, sorry I’m late, I just ran into a small situation.” Jeongyeon tells her best friend. “Alley behind the arts studio, see you.”_

_“What have you done this time?” Nayeon sighs into the phone, and Jeongyeon knows from Nayeon’s heavy breaths that she’s running here._

_“Maybe, you should hurry up a little. We are kind of, dying here.”_

_“Who are ‘we’?”_

_She hears a gasp, and she turns to see Nayeon standing there with her hands over her mouth as she takes in the sight before her. “Wow, that was quick.”_

_“Just stay still, you idiot.” Nayeon barks back, turning her back to the two to call for help on her phone, more to hide her tears than anything.)_

 

Jeongyeon huffs, unable to refute it. She looks at the penguin lunch box that Chaeyoung is arranging and she shakes her head, knowing who it’s for. “You still meeting that rich girl? I told you not to date rich girls, they are all just trouble.”

 

She steals another sausage from the penguin lunch box just to piss Chaeyoung off more than anything, running to dodge the shorter girl’s kick because a professional MMA fighter’s kicks and punches hurt like hell, take it from her.

 

“Just because the rich girl _you_ dated was trash doesn’t mean _all_ rich girls are trash.” Nayeon sasses, opening up the fridge to prepare for breakfast. “You just have bad taste.”

 

“Yeah definitely, because I’m still friends with you.” Jeongyeon shoots back, the two bickering nonstop in the morning already.

 

“Aish, stop fighting, it’s bad for the baby.” Chaeyoung shushes them, knowing that they don’t mean it when they fight, just friendly bantering, but she still wants to keep them in check before she leaves.

 

Nayeon nearly drops the orange juice in her hands hearing her words and Jeongyeon chokes on her sausage. “What baby?!”

 

Chaeyoung places the lid on the penguin lunch box before placing it into her gym bag. “Me. I’m the baby.”

 

She grins at them, having successfully pranked them. “I’m going, see you all later!”  

 

“Did you bring your gloves?!” Nayeon shouts after her, knowing how careless Chaeyoung can be. But she might as well be shouting into the void because the girl is already gone. Jeongyeon chuckles, “Forget it, that kid gets more excited than anything when she gets to see her girl.”

 

\--

 

She watches the scenery go by in the car, sees how the leaves are turning different shades of yellow, red and orange and she knows autumn is really here. As the weather gets colder, the days get shorter, and sometimes it gets to her, makes her feel down, just wanting to stay in bed and not do anything. To add onto that, she has a test to get to, and she sighs, dreading it already.

 

But the car pulls over at a bus stop, and she immediately feels better. Because sitting at the bus stop, waiting for her, is her sunshine, with her super big gym bag almost covering her whole body. She quickly gathers her things, and doesn’t forget to thank her chauffeur for the ride.

 

“Thank you, Yoshi.” She’s not only thanking him for the ride, but also for keeping this as a secret between the two of them. (Because god knows what will happen if her mom finds out about this.)

 

“You are welcome Miss Myoui. Have a good day.” But Yoshi, a benevolent old soul, just smiles at her, encouraging her to go on.

 

By the time she gets out of the car, her sunshine is already up on her feet, beaming at her, the little dimple on display and her arms outstretched. She doesn’t waste anymore time, running into her favourite person’s arms and her sunshine catches her sturdily, warm arms going around her. She ducks her head into the crook of her sunshine’s neck, feeling her girlfriend’s warmth even though the girl had been sitting in the cold waiting for her.

 

It’s been so long since they had spent some time together, she had been busy revising for her exams and her sunshine too busy practicing for her upcoming matches, and that’s why each other’s company seems even more precious now.

 

“Did you wait very long?” Mina asks, sorry that she made her girlfriend wait in the cold for her.

 

“Not really.” Chaeyoung reassures her, before pulling away to look at Mina carefully. “How’s my favourite girl in the world doing today?”

 

“I was really worried for my test just now, but I’m doing okay now that I see you.” Mina tells her, grinning her gummy smile.

 

Chaeyoung takes one of Mina’s hand into her own, kissing it before she walks her to her exam venue. She knows very well how Mina gets very stressed when it’s her exams period; being a pre-med student isn’t easy, and being a pre-med student who is set to inherit your father’s hospital in the future puts even more stress on her, having to do well to uphold the expectations her family has of her. “Don’t worry about it, alright? You will do well, like you always do.”

 

Mina bumps slightly into Chaeyoung as a way to say thank you for encouraging her. “You have a match today, right?”

 

Chaeyoung nods. “Will you be coming?”

 

It’s her last exam today, so she’s technically free to go and watch, but she hates watching Chaeyoung compete the most, because it means she has to see her sunshine get hurt. The past few times she went, she had cried while tending to the little fighter’s wounds after the match and she had sworn to herself that she will never ever go down to watch another one of her matches again. But every single time, she finds herself down there among the stands, sitting through the whole match with her eyes clenched tightly shut, hands firmly covering her ears, and wishing for the whole spectacle to be over soon, and for Chaeyoung to not be greatly hurt. What can she do except to be there as moral support for her girlfriend?

 

It seems like Chaeyoung understands her dilemma, because she tugs at their entwined hands to get her attention. “It’s okay if you don’t want to come and watch, I understand.” (Watching Mina cry the past few times wasn’t easy for her too.)

 

Chaeyoung’s here to give her moral support for her exams, so what kind of a girlfriend is she if she doesn’t do the same for her in return? “No… I will be there. Finish it quick, okay?”

 

They have reached the exam hall, and Chaeyoung steps in front of her, holding her other hand as she smiles. “I will try my best.”

 

Mina lifts Chaeyoung’s hands to her lips, kissing her two hands, moving on to plant a kiss on her forehead, her eyes, her nose and then her cheeks. The latter just lets her be, knowing that this is their ritual, where Mina believes that her kiss will protect her from injuries. Mina removes her hands from her grasp to cup her face now, running her thumb across her cheeks gently as the little fighter rests her arms around Mina’s waist. “You can’t get hurt, okay?”

 

“Okay.” It’s not up to her, but she will try her best for Mina. Chaeyoung points to her lips. “But what about here?”

 

“There too?” Mina asks, narrowing her eyes, knowing that her sneaky girlfriend is just fishing for kisses.

 

Chaeyoung nods seriously. “I think I’ll get hit here.”

 

But Mina relents, shaking her head before leaning in to peck Chaeyoung on the lips. She pulls back to see the biggest smile on her sunshine’s face, and the pre-med student instantly regrets nothing, poking at her favourite dimple.  

 

“Ah! Before I forget,” Chaeyoung exclaims, breaking away from her girlfriend to rummage through her bag to pull out the lunch box she had prepared earlier. “I made lunch for you. It’s nothing much, but I hope you like it.”

 

She takes it, looking at the cartoon penguins on the lid and she smiles, loving how good her sunshine is with surprise romantic gestures like this. “Have I told you how much I love you?”

 

Chaeyoung frowns as she rests a hand on her chin, but a smile is on her face. “Hmm, I think so, but you can tell me again just to be sure.”

 

She leans in, pecking the short fighter on the cheek. “I love you.”

 

The little beast’s cheeks turn red, and it’s not because of the cold autumn wind. “I love you too, but you should really head for your exams now. I will see you later.”

 

Mina nods, and the two finally separate, albeit reluctantly.

 

\--

 

“Oh come on,” Jeongyeon scoffs as she rushes Nayeon while holding the door open.

 

“I’m done already, stop rushing me!” Nayeon bites back, flipping the signboard to ‘Closed’ before she steps out of the café. Despite their nonstop arguments, they have been running this small café together ever since graduating from college, Nayeon in charge of taking orders and serving food while Jeongyeon mans the kitchen. They are closing early today to make their way down to support Chaeyoung, but are going to be late because of a certain bunny.

 

“If you didn’t take that last order of your ‘handsome’ customer, we wouldn’t be running late!” Jeongyeon hisses as she locks the door while Nayeon reaches into Jeongyeon’s back pocket for her motorcycle keys, walking ahead to start the engine first. Despite all their bickering, they work well together as a team.

 

“Well, you could have cooked faster!” Nayeon doesn’t back down, not sure why Jeongyeon is so grouchy when it means they are making more money. “Besides, we are earning more, I don’t understand why you are making a big fuss out of it.”

 

“You just want to serve him because he’s handsome.” Jeongyeon rolls her eyes as she takes out two helmets, shoving one to Nayeon. “Did you even see the way he was eyeing you? He was totally undressing you with his eyes.”

 

“And can I blame him? I mean like, have you seen me? I’m quite a looker myself.” Nayeon says as she clips on her helmet, flipping her hair back.

 

Jeongyeon blanches. “Get off my bike, you find your own transport there.”

 

Nayeon whines, tugging at Jeongyeon’s shirt. “Hmm~ Please give Nayeonie a ride~ We have to go and watch our baby fight~”

 

Jeongyeon nearly throws her helmet into Nayeon’s face. She was just joking before, but now, she’s really thinking about kicking the older girl off her bike and leaving her here. Nayeon realizes this and lets go of Jeongyeon’s shirt, sitting up straight in the back seat of the bike. “Let’s go,” She says in her normal voice.

 

\--

 

“Oh unnie, you are here already?” Chaeyoung asks as she enters the changing room, placing her bag down on the bench. She receives a knuckle to the forehead immediately, causing her to wince.

 

“How many times have I told you it’s ‘Coach’?” Jihyo chides, before focusing back on the laptop in front of her.

 

They are only two years apart, so Chaeyoung doesn’t know why Jihyo is so insistent on the title, but she does oblige, calling her ‘Coach’ when there are other people around and preferring to stick to ‘Unnie’ when it’s just the two of them, like now. She walks over to peek over her coach’s shoulder. “What are you looking at?”

 

“Watching your opponent’s past matches.” Jihyo tells Chaeyoung as she focuses on the screen to see two people in the familiar octagon. She points at the girl who is bigger in size among the two, indicating that that is her opponent for today. It’s ridiculous how someone of her size is in her weight class, and Chaeyoung feels the first nerves creeping in. She’s big, which means her punches are not going to be weak, and Chaeyoung winces as she watches her opponent take down hers in the video easily with a solid punch to the face. She might not be able to keep her promise to Mina after all.

 

“Don’t worry,” Jihyo says as she shuts her laptop. “She may have the size and power, but you have the dexterity and speed. Go and warm up, we don’t have much time left.”

 

\--

 

Chaeyoung follows behind Jihyo as they stride towards the octagon, her eyes focused on the back of her coach. She doesn’t let anything distract her, follows Jihyo to the blue corner, the corner she’s assigned to today, and puts out her hands for her coach to put on her gloves for her. Jihyo then holds out her mouth piece, and she wears it, adjusting it so that it fits nicely in her mouth.

 

Jihyo holds Chaeyoung by the shoulders. “Remember, avoid direct confrontation as much as you can, keep your distance, go in for quick jabs and pull back. Wait for your chance to strike.”

 

Chaeyoung nods, and Jihyo helps her to take her jacket off. She takes the time to look at the audience stand, and spots Jeongyeon, Nayeon and Mina easily. Nayeon is cheering enthusiastically for her, screaming and shouting in her seat, while Jeongyeon is mock punching the air, her way of telling her to do her best. Mina on the other hand, has her arms crossed and face in a frown. She knows Mina hates being here, hates watching her get hurt, so she reminds herself that she has to do better for her. She smiles at them, more to reassure Mina than anything, and turns back, stepping into the octagon.

 

The referee checks and clears them, and the bell goes off, officially announcing the start of the match. Both of them do not make any moves first, preferring to circle around the octagon, sizing each other up. Her opponent makes the first move to come closer to her, and Chaeyoung holds her arms up in front of her in a defensive manner, waiting for the blows to come. She makes a quick jab at her, which Chaeyoung manages to parry the blow with her arms, and she can feel the strength of her opponent clearly. She backs up a little, knowing that she will definitely be knocked out by her opponent’s powerful punches if they are just going to engage in a direct fist fight.

 

But her opponent seems to take her measured hesitance as fear, stepping closer to rain multiple punches on her face and stomach, hoping to disarm her. Chaeyoung is peddling backwards while trying to block off as many of the hits as possible, but she can feel warm blood starting to trickle down her temple, and she knows one must have gotten through to inflict some damage. She’s starting to feel dizzy from the attacks when she feels her opponent slowing down, underestimating her, thinking that she will take this win easily. Taking her chance, she starts counterattacking, throwing quick jabs around her opponent’s face. Her opponent staggers backwards from the sudden attack, not ready for it, wildly throwing a few punches in the air hoping to get her. But it doesn’t, and Chaeyoung takes this chance of vulnerability to strike directly for her opponent’s jaw. It’s the right spot because it knocks her out cold, and the referee pushes her back away from the fighter lying on the floor to cease the fight temporarily to check on her opponent. Her opponent is confirmed to be knocked out cold, and the fight goes to her, the referee raising her hand up to declare the win.

 

She bows to all the audience before she goes back to her corner where Jihyo is waiting with a proud smile. “Good job, tiger cub.” She gives her a tight hug, patting her on the back before holding out a bucket for her to spit her mouth piece out, and proceeds to take off her gloves for her. Chaeyoung is in the midst of putting her jacket back on when the medic on duty approaches them, wanting to patch her wound up.

 

“Oh, it’s okay,” Chaeyoung tells him, because why would she need another medic when she has her own? “Thanks anyway.”

 

Nayeon is on her the next instance, engulfing her in a tight hug while Jeongyeon pats her on the back. “Good job, cub, I’m so proud of you. That lighting KO punch.” She whistles as she attempts to do a feeble imitation of said punch, which makes Chaeyoung laugh.

 

“You small little thing, when did you become such a big girl?” Nayeon wipes her tears as she pulls away, talking as if she’s her mother.

 

“Nayeon-unnie stop it, you are embarrassing me!” Chaeyoung whines while Jeongyeon pulls the emotional bunny into her own embrace, more to stop her from bothering her younger sister than to console her. She tilts her head towards the audience stands, where Mina is still sitting there with her head down.

 

“Your girl’s crying.” Jeongyeon tells her, shaking her head. “I don’t get why she’s making such a big fuss over this, it’s just a little wound.”

 

“Says the one whose best friend is ugly crying now?” Chaeyoung says in jest at Nayeon who is tugged into Jeongyeon’s arms, and the latter sighs, unable to refute it. This is not the first time, and it’s not going to be the last time too. She pats her older sister on the back before heading to Mina.

 

“Hey.” Chaeyoung greets, squatting down and reaching for her girlfriend’s hands. She knows Mina needs time, so she doesn’t rush her, just waiting for her until she’s ready. It takes a while, but Mina finally looks up, and Chaeyoung’s heart breaks when she sees tear trails on that beautiful face, with more tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She hurries to wipe them. “Hey, I won, okay? Don’t cry.”

 

“Can’t you just… not do this?” Mina sniffs, “I can’t bear to watch.”

 

Chaeyoung looks down at their entwined hands, because she won’t be able to say no to those tearful eyes if she stares any longer. So, she tries to sweet talk her way out of it. “I’m in trouble. How can you still look pretty even when you are crying?”

 

Mina frowns and hits Chaeyoung’s arms, wanting her to be more serious about this. But the fighter winces as it hits the same spot which she had received blows from earlier, and Mina immediately softens, rubbing her arm to soothe it. She sighs, knowing that she can’t ask Chaeyoung to stop fighting, because this is her dream, and she wouldn’t want to take that away from her sunshine. But it doesn’t mean it doesn’t break her heart every time she sees the numerous wounds on her body. “Come on, let’s get you patched up.”

 

\--

 

Chaeyoung doesn’t understand how antiseptic can cause her more pain than the punches she received during the actual match itself, and although Mina is very gentle, she can’t help but wince when the cold alcohol swap makes contact with her open wound, the sting jarring her senses. Mina frowns as she works, half because she’s focused, and the other half because it hurts her to see Chaeyoung hurt. But the little fighter just finds her girlfriend extra hot when she’s serious like this, smiling as she takes the time to scrutinize the latter while she works.

 

Mina finishes off with a plaster, but she doesn’t move away, just stands there to look down at Chaeyoung, cupping her face gently. She really loves her sunshine and will never ask of anything from her, but she really wants her to stop this sport. Open wounds and bruises like today are fine, but what if it’s more serious injuries, like concussion, loss of hearing, or sight the next time? She doesn’t say anything, but Chaeyoung hears the unspoken words.

 

“I’m okay, alright? Stop frowning like this.” Chaeyoung pacifies, taking Mina’s hands in hers.

 

Her phone rings, and she knows it’s Yoshi calling, their time together for today is up. She lets it go, because she doesn’t want to spend the little amount of time they have together arguing or staying upset at each other. She mutes the phone and focuses back on her sunshine, who is staring back at her with a sad smile, reluctant to let her go too.

 

“Keep your weekend free next week, let’s go somewhere, just the two of us.” Mina tells her; now that they are both slightly freer from their commitments, they should make use of it to spend some long overdue quality time together. She may have to lie to her mom, telling her that she’s going out with Sana and Momo instead of Chaeyoung, but it’s a lie worth telling.

 

Chaeyoung stands up, poking Mina on the nose with a fond smile. She does have training, but Jihyo is always understanding, so it shouldn’t be a problem. (She might just suffer a bit more when she comes back, but it’s worth it if it means being able to spend time with her favourite person in the world.) “Anything for you, my princess. Come on, I will walk you to the car.”

 

Bonus

Nayeon is wailing as Jeongyeon sits on the hospital bed, wounds already taken care of. The taller girl wants to laugh because Nayeon is a really ugly crier, mouth wide open and snot coming out. (But why does she find that so adorable at the same time?)

 

“Stop crying already.” She says in jest, passing the box of tissues to Nayeon. The older girl takes a few pieces and blows her nose loudly with it while Jeongyeon reaches out to push some hair away from Nayeon’s face, not wanting the girl to eat her hair while she cries. “Are you stupid? Why are you fighting people now?”

 

Jeongyeon sighs, looking over to the next bed where Chaeyoung is lying, sleeping peacefully. She is the reason why Jeongyeon fought in the first place. She knew there was a reason why the girl turned up at their house in hoodie and sweatpants in the middle of summer, why she held up her fists at her when she was just going to the light switches to turn off the lights, and she’s glad she finally knows the reason now. Staying in the orphanage with the older bullies had broken her, but Jeongyeon made a promise to herself to mend the broken girl.

 

“She’s the foster sister I’ve told you about.” Jeongyeon have told Nayeon that they were going to foster a kid, but this is the first time she is actually meeting her. It’s a shame that they are meeting under such circumstances, and she hopes Nayeon won’t have a bad impression of Chaeyoung; she really wants them to get along with each other.  “They were beating her up, those bullies who are twice the size of her. I can’t just stand by and watch, you know.”

 

Nayeon also looks over at the small girl, with a bandage on her head and numerous bandages over her arms and legs, and she wonders how they could even bring themselves to hurt such a tiny, little precious thing. “Your parents are going to adopt her, you say?”

 

Jeongyeon gives out a sound of agreement. “My parents really like her, and they have been thinking about it, but I think this pretty much seals the deal. There is no way we are going to let her go back to the orphanage where the bullies are.”

 

“Then that means she’s my little sister from now on too.” Nayeon tells her, still sniffing from her outburst just now as she looks at Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon doesn’t know why, but a smile grows on her face, her chest suddenly feels warm and full, something that has been happening quite often recently, and only with Nayeon. But the next second, Nayeon hits her on the arm roughly, and the warmth immediately vanishes as she yells in pain.

 

“What was that for!” Jeongyeon retorts, rubbing her arm.

 

“I will forgive you this time, but if you get hurt again next time, I’m going to kill you.” Nayeon warns her and Jeongyeon just laughs at the empty threat of the bunny, but relents anyway. “Okay.”


	3. you are going to be the death of me

Mina taps her feet anxiously against the tiled floor, hoping her sunshine would turn up already. She had lied to her mother, telling her that she’s having a sleepover with Momo and Sana, and it’s not the first time, but it doesn’t make her any less worried of getting caught. The faster they get out of here, the more relieved she will feel. Finally, she sees Chaeyoung trudging towards her with that big duffel bag on her, stifling a yawn and she smiles, mood immediately lifted. She runs and engulfs the shorter girl in a hug, the latter stumbling a little at their combined weight. 

“Woah, easy there.” Chaeyoung chuckles as her arms wrap around her assailant easily, knowing that it’s her girlfriend even though she hasn’t actually seen her face. The jasmine perfume is a dead giveaway, and even without that, her body is so attuned to Mina’s that there is no way she doesn’t recognize the way Mina feels pressed against her body. 

“Your coach is okay with you skipping training for the weekend?” Mina asks just to be sure, not wanting Chaeyoung to get into any trouble. Jihyo is nice, but she’s definitely not when she’s angry. 

“Well, I’m here now, aren’t I? Chaeyoung pulls away and smiles easily. It wasn’t easy getting permission from Jihyo now that she is getting so close to a UFC debut, but she had eventually relented when Chaeyoung promised to work doubly hard when she’s back. “And I’m all yours.” 

“You better be.” Mina smiles as she holds her sunshine’s hand, dragging her to the counter to get a bus ticket to their destination. 

“Where are we going?” Chaeyoung asks, too absorbed by the fact that she will be spending the weekend with only Mina to realize that she still doesn’t know where they are actually headed to. Mina had planned the whole trip in secret, only asking for her to turn up at the express bus terminal on Saturday at 6am. 

“Busan.” Mina tells her, and worry starts to grow on her face as she stops in her tracks to look at her girlfriend. She had planned the whole trip by herself after all, what if Chaeyoung didn’t like it? “You are okay with it, right?”

The little fighter just laughs, pulling at their entwined hands to continue the walk to the counter. “Darling, anywhere is fine as long as I’m with you.” 

\--

They have finished serving the morning office crowd, so business at the café has slowed down for now. Finally having some free time, Jeongyeon starts making another cup of coffee for her and the tired bunny sitting at the counter. She doesn’t even ask, already knowing what Nayeon knows. She pushes the cup of freshly brewed caramel macchiato to her best friend without a word, and the latter also takes it nonchalantly. They may bicker like hell, but they are like two cogs in a machine, unable to function without the other. 

“Anyway, I have a dinner appointment tonight, so I won’t be able to close the shop with you.” Nayeon tells her as she does a stock take on their supplies, “Yerim will be coming in to take the closing shift for me, so you will still have 3, her and Tzuyu till closing.” 

Jeongyeon agrees with a hum, there is nothing to disagree anyway since the older girl has already gotten a replacement for herself. “Where are you going?” She asks, curious to know what she’s up to since this is the first time in a long while that Nayeon is telling her something she doesn’t already know. They live and work together, after all. 

“Suzy has been bugging me to meet this senior of hers, so I’m finally agreeing to it.” Nayeon says as she rolls her eyes, not sure why her friend is more anxious about her love life than she is. The girl has been spamming her with photos of her senior and although she admits he’s cute, she’s just not interested. She’s going more to get Suzy off her back. 

But Jeongyeon nearly chokes on the coffee she’s sipping on and she looks incredulously at Nayeon. “What?! Where? What time?” 

“The western restaurant at Sinchon at 7.” Nayeon tells her as she lists down the supplies she needs to order for the café. 

“Who is he? Is he a nice guy? Have you seen him before? What time do you guys end?” Jeongyeon questions her like she’s her mom and Nayeon finally looks away from the supplies list and at her best friend. 

“Geez, chill! He’s her senior at the musical company she’s working in now, and she just wants us to meet for a meal. That’s all.” Nayeon reassures her. She trusts Suzy, the girl wouldn’t introduce a bad person to her. 

Jeongyeon still doesn’t seem convinced, narrowing her eyes at the bunny. “You better be back home by 9, or else I’m calling your mom to tell on you.” 

“Yah Yoo Jeongyeon,” Nayeon holds her arms against her waist, glaring at her. “Let me remind you that I’m older than you. And I’m a grown woman who knows how to take care of herself, so stop worrying.” 

Jeongyeon raises her eyebrows, because that is definitely not true. 

(It’s a miracle she’s still alive after all that mad driving just to get back home as fast as she can when she received the call from Chaeyoung saying that Nayeon is bawling at home. She had left halfway through date night, ditched her girlfriend and is back here, sprinting up the steps to their apartment. (Needless to say, her girlfriend was livid, but she can’t be bothered; she had always been a spoilt brat anyway, it’s good to let her know she can’t have her way all the damn time.) She throws the door open, and sees an inconsolable Nayeon in Chaeyoung’s arms, the younger looking at her with a face that screams ‘Help!’, at a loss because she has never seen the older girl like this before, and it must scare her to see the bunny totally broken like this. But this isn’t the first time for her, and it’s definitely not going to be the last. 

“Nayeon-ah.” She calls out, making her way to them quickly.

“I told you… not to call her…” Nayeon sniffs, but still reaches out for her, snuggling into her embrace when she got closer. 

“It’s okay cub, I will take it from here. Can you go to the convenience store and get me some ice cream?” Jeongyeon tells Chaeyoung, and the younger girl nods and hurries off. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Jeongyeon asks gently, because even though they fight like hell, they are each other’s support too.

“You are right. He’s a jerk. He was cheating on me.” Nayeon cries even louder after saying that out loud, as if reminding herself of the fact again. 

Jeongyeon sighs, knowing that this was coming. She had tried to warn the older girl several times, but she is just stubborn, refusing to believe or even listen to her. This is the perfect time to go “HA I told you so,” but she knows her best friend doesn’t need that sass right now, she needs her comfort. “It’s okay, he didn’t deserve you in the first place anyway. You deserve better.”

She just lets Nayeon cry on her shoulder, running her fingers through the older’s hair to calm her down. Finally after two and a half tubs of ice cream and three boxes of tissues later, the bunny has fallen asleep on her shoulders, snoring away and drooling on her shirt. 

“You are seriously going to be the death of me.” She sighs as she pokes Nayeon’s forehead gently while digging into the unfinished tub of ice cream herself.)

“I’m going to pick you up, call me when you are done.” Jeongyeon decides for her, thinking that it’s better to pick her up so that the guy doesn’t have to send her home and get to find out where she lives. 

Nayeon just scoffs, unable to believe how stubborn her best friend is. She’s just going to ignore her, not wanting to waste her breath trying to convince this stupid stubborn bull, knowing that it won’t get through anyway. 

\--

Chaeyoung stands in the middle of the hotel room, stoning. She has been and is still very excited about this trip, but she forgot about one very important thing. They will be spending one night together, in the same room, on the same bed, she realizes as she looks at the only queen size bed in the room. They haven’t slept over at each other’s place before, so it will be their first night sleeping together. Oh no, Mina’s going to find out about her unglamorous sleeping habit of sleeping with her mouth open and break up with her! 

“Hey, everything alright?” Mina asks, breaking her out of her reverie. 

“H-huh? Yeah, everything’s fine.” The little fighter smiles, hoping it doesn’t come out awkwardly. She should have expected it though, it’s weird to get two single beds, but… is she ready? What are you thinking Son Chaeyoung, she chides herself, get your mind out of the gutter. They are just going to sleep next to each other, with their bodies pressed against each other… She shakes herself awake just in time to hear Mina tell her to wear her swimsuit, because they are going to the beach. She nods, and when Mina finally enters the restroom to change, she slaps herself, trying to get a hold of herself. It’s okay, she’s just going to worry about that later tonight, it’s all going to be fine, she can do this. 

\--

Okay maybe it’s not okay, it’s not fine, she can’t do this because Mina just took off her shawl that she had draped over herself, and she’s in this red flowery crop top with a denim skirt in front of her. She doesn’t even bleed when someone punches her in the nose, but she feels like she might right now. Chaeyoung turns away, knowing that her cheeks must be burning right now.

“Hey, you sure you alright?” Mina asks, holding her gently by her cheek to turn Chaeyoung to her. “You have been so out of it since we reached.”

Don’t look down, don’t look down. “Yeah, I just…” Chaeyoung struggles to find an excuse while her brain is working overtime preventing her eyes from wandering where they should definitely not be on her girlfriend’s body. “I can’t swim! That’s why I’m nervous.” She grins nervously, hoping Mina doesn’t see through her lousy excuse. 

“You can’t swim?! Why didn’t you tell me?” Mina frowns, fretting over her. 

Okay that’s a bad idea, now she has to pretend she can’t swim. Chaeyoung’s throat suddenly feels very dry. “It’s okay, I will just hold onto you?” 

“No, what if you lose me later?” Mina frets, “give me a minute.” 

\--

Mina comes back with a float for her, and she wouldn’t complain if it’s actually those big sized donut floats other people at the beach have. But her cute girlfriend is holding a kiddie frog float out to her and Chaeyoung blinks, trying to comprehend this situation. 

“You want me to use this?” The fighter asks incredulously. She’s a MMA fighter, used to throwing punches and subduing her opponents with arm bars and choke holds but her girlfriend is here offering her a float that seems to be for children. If Dahyun and Tzuyu are here, they are definitely not going to let her live this down. 

“Yeah, those big ones are only for rent, so this was the only one I could find and buy.” Mina tells her seriously, not even joking.

“Minari,” Chaeyoung whines, has half a mind to just come clean about actually being able to swim, “you really expect me to put this on? I’m not five!” 

“Yeah you are not, but you are my baby. Please, baby?” Mina persuades, a pout on her lips and puppy eyes on full blast. 

What is Chaeyoung going to do? Say no? (Especially after having Mina call her ‘baby’, when they were never the type to use forms of endearment with each other.) This girl is going to be the death of her someday, she swears as the little fighter takes the frog tube begrudgingly, but slides into it anyway, eliciting a big smile from Mina.

\--

Stay off your phone and watch your surroundings 

There are many creeps on public transport nowadays 

Also, no drinking, no following him home

I will pick you up when you are done, text me then

Excuse me, how am I supposed to stay off my phone if you keep texting me? Nayeon shoots back a retort as she shakes her head. Jeongyeon worries too much. Don’t worry about me and focus on the café, it’s Saturday, isn’t it busy? 

Well, we wouldn’t be if you came back right now. We could really use some help now. 

Nayeon rolls her eyes. Get back to work, I just reached Sinchon. I will see you later. 

Nayeon gets off the train and sighs, not really looking forward to the date. Her previous boyfriends had been jerks, so she doesn’t want to put herself out there and hurt herself again. She’s contended with her current life; running the café with Jeongyeon, dealing with her bullshit and the constant bickering. But her parents have been asking when she is going to bring someone home, someone who is not Jeongyeon, her childhood friend who has been coming over to her house since they were kids. 

But sometimes she does want to bring Jeongyeon home, not as her childhood best friend, but as something more. She stops herself before she can even develop that thought further, but it’s hard to not think of the possibilities of that option when she lives and works with the girl. She shakes her head, maybe this date is good, it will help her rid her mind of feelings she doesn’t want to pay attention to. 

-

Okay, text me when you are done, I will be there in 30.

Jeongyeon waits for a reply, but it doesn’t come so she assumes Nayeon must be walking to the restaurant now, too busy to text her back. She doesn’t mind, but she really hopes Nayeon will listen to her for once. Knowing the older girl, she might just drink and head home with the guy just to piss her off. But no, she’s not going to let that happen because she’s going to get her ass back home tonight. 

“Jeongyeon-unnie, get your ass out back here!” Tzuyu hollers from the front, probably needing help because of the crowd of customers. 

Kids these days have no basic respect, she thinks, she’s literally the boss and 3 years older than her, but none of the part timers actually care about it, just shouting at her like this. 

“I’m here!” She grumbles while putting on her apron as she walks over to the coffee machine filled with empty cups waiting to be filled with coffee. She can’t wait to close the café so she can go pick up Nayeon already. She needs to be there before they leave to catch Nayeon before she gets to go home with the guy. 

\--

Chaeyoung is out from the toilet first, having freshened up after their swim (more like Mina’s swim and her floating in the water because of her goddamn float), and she takes the time to look at the setting sun. It’s disappearing into the horizon, painting the ocean a nice shade of orange. It’s a beautiful end to a wonderful day, and she’s thankful that Mina suggested for them to take this trip. She doesn’t realize how stressed up she has been recently over her upcoming UFC debut, and it’s good to take some time away from the endless and merciless training to rest her body and mind. 

She takes the chance to take some photos, and while she’s engrossed doing so, she feels arms wrapping around her waist, and the familiar scent of jasmine wafts to her nose. She smiles, leaning back into Mina’s embrace. She doesn’t think she can love her girlfriend any more than she already does, but she doesn’t know if she’s just whipped, or Mina is just that amazing to make her fall in love even more every single day. 

“Come on, let me take a picture of you.” She tugs on Mina’s arm around her waist to get the girl to stand in front of her, snapping away when her girlfriend is in position. She gives out gasps of astonishment as she takes each photo, because how is it possible for someone to be so unbelievably pretty? She has probably taken a hundred photos when Mina retorts shyly, “Why do you keep taking?” 

“Because you look pretty.” Chaeyoung compliments, looking through her photo gallery, and as expected, every single one came out well. Mina blushes and pulls Chaeyoung back into her embrace. “Come here, let’s take one together.” 

With the sunset as their background, they smile, pull silly faces, and end off with one last photo of Mina kissing her cheek. They look through the photos together, and Chaeyoung knows the last photo is definitely going to be the wallpaper of her phone. Stuffing her phone back into her pocket, she holds Mina’s hand, swinging it slightly. “Where to next, tour guide?” 

“Night picnic at Gwangalli Beach.” Mina tells her, looking at her girlfriend with her sun kissed cheeks that make her look 423 times more adorable. She leans in to peck her on the cheeks again, which just makes her sunshine’s smile grow even bigger. “Well, lead the way.” 

\--

This is the third customer that has come back to complain about their ice blended drinks tasting bland, and Tzuyu can only apologize and make another cup for them while shooting lasers at Jeongyeon, who doesn’t even seem to notice, her attention only focused on her phone. She’s not usually this careless, but she can’t focus when Nayeon isn’t replying to her. She’s dying to know what is happening, how is the guy treating her? Are they drinking alcohol? Is the guy making her drunk now so he can bring her home? Oh my god, she has to go and stop this immediately! 

Jeongyeon looks at the time, it’s only 8, and she’s going to lose a lot by closing earlier by two hours on a Saturday, but she doesn’t care because Nayeon’s safety is more important. (Also, why do people drink coffee after 8, just go to sleep!) “Kids, let’s wrap up. We are closing, now.” 

Yerim cheers loudly, but Tzuyu just frowns. “It’s only 8.” 

“Yeah, and that’s one hour too late.” Jeongyeon mumbles, afraid that Nayeon would have left with the guy already in that one hour. She hopes they wouldn’t be done with their dinner so quickly, that the older girl will still be there when she reaches the restaurant. “Come on, pack up now.”

She heads to the door to flip the sign when two familiar faces enter the café. “Why are you closing already?” Momo asks as she enters hand in hand with Sana when she sees Jeongyeon flipping the sign and taking off her apron. 

“She’s going to stop Nayeon-unnie’s date.” Yerim crackles as she steps out from the counter to clear the tables, Jeongyeon’s intention clear as day even though she didn’t explicitly say it out to them.

“Oh come on it’s about time anyway! It’s been so long since she dated. Do you want her to die as an old spinster?” Sana chides as she heads behind the counter to give Tzuyu a hug. “Hi Chewy.”

The barista ignores Sana’s affection, too used to it by now. “Momo-unnie, the usual?”

“Yes, as expected of my favourite barista.” Momo smiles and ruffles her hair over the counter before turning to address her friend. “Anyway, yeah I agree with Sana, take a chill pill Jeong.”

Jeongyeon doesn’t reply, just stays focused on counting the till so she can leave asap. They can say what they want because they don’t know anything, and they won’t be there when Nayeon breaks down again after a heartbreak. So before she can break, she will be there to make sure to block anything that can potentially break her. 

“Yeah, anyway shouldn’t you be more worried about Chaeyoung? Kid is in Busan with Mina over the weekends, I bet they are going to do it.” Sana says as she wiggles her eyebrows. 

This brings a snort from Tzuyu, knowing her best friend well enough to know that she won’t do it. Her best friend may be the best fighter she had ever seen in the octagon, taking advantage of her opponent’s weak points and loss of concentration to win the match. But when it comes to Mina, she will never ever take advantage of her, turning into a puddle of mush for her girlfriend. She is so painfully shy around Mina that it took her almost a year before she could ask Mina out, freaked out to her for 2 hours when they first kissed, so Tzuyu knows her best friend definitely doesn’t have the courage to do whatever they are insinuating. “Chaeyoung? I can bet my entire life savings that she wouldn’t do it.” 

“Yeah we know, so we told Mina to get her drunk so it can happen.” Momo tells her as she smiles and thanks Tzuyu for her cup of green tea latte. 

Yerim guffaws as she sweeps the floor. “Chaeyoung? Drunk? I have never seen that before.”

Tzuyu nods, agreeing with Yerim. Whenever they had class gatherings, Tzuyu always volunteered to stay sober to send them home so she can escape drinking. However, Chaeyoung was also always sober with her, helping her to send their classmates home even though she had downed just as much as their other classmates. She doesn’t even know where all that alcohol goes in that small body of hers. “She has never gotten drunk. Ever.” 

“Eh hey, no way…?” Sana frowns, because how can such a small girl have such a high alcohol tolerance? She heads back out to hug Momo, who is still slurping on her drink.

Jeongyeon slams the till shut loudly, scaring the four in the shop. “Okay, everyone get out now, I’m locking up.” 

“But I’m not done washing up yet.” Tzuyu says, having just dismantled the steam wand of the coffee machine and is about to wash it. 

“I will do it, get out, enjoy your Saturday, get drunk, have fun.” Jeongyeon tells them as she holds the door of the café open, hurrying them up. Yerim just whoops in delight, placing the broom back in place, always happy to be able to go home earlier while Tzuyu can’t believe Jeongyeon is asking her to forgo hygiene. Jeongyeon, the only person she knows who is insane about cleanliness is telling her to leave this mess and go home? 

“Come on Tzuyu!” Jeongyeon shouts, tapping her foot against the floor impatiently and Tzuyu shakes her head, placing the steam wand down and picking her bag to leave the café with the two Japanese girls. 

\--

When Mina said that they were going to have a night picnic by the beach, Chaeyoung was expecting small conversation over food, and little kisses here and there. What she didn’t expect is for Mina to go all out on the booze, causing her to be barely awake in her arms now. She usually hates herself for having such a high alcohol tolerance when her friends are able to get high and enjoy themselves when they drink, while she has to drink two or three times more than them just to get the same effect. Even then, she just gets high, never drunk, and never hungover. But now, she’s thanking herself for this ability now, because she can take care of her inebriated girlfriend. 

“Okay,” Chaeyoung tugs and holds Mina’s hand to stop her from reaching for the cup of soju, “no more for you. You had more than enough for today.” 

“Yeah, I have never drank so much alcohol in my life!” Mina says loudly in a way that is uncharacteristic of the normal, quiet Mina. She giggles, “Everything is spinning.” 

Before Chaeyoung can reply, Mina continues with a pout, poking at her girlfriend’s cheeks. “Why are you not drunk at all? You are supposed to be!” 

“I am?” Chaeyoung asks with a smile, knowing that Mina is just saying nonsense because she’s drunk, but still going along with it to make her happy. She always wants to make Mina happy, even if she is drunk and probably won’t remember all this tomorrow. Also, how did she become hundred times more adorable just because she’s drunk? 

“Yeah, you are supposed to be drunk so we can-“ Mina is cut off by her phone ringing, and she groans as she rummages through her bag for it. However, she can’t seem to find it, her eyes and her hands not listening to her. Chaeyoung just chuckles, taking her bag from her girlfriend to help her with it.

“It’s Momo.” She tells Mina after locating the phone easily, but her girlfriend just grunts as she snuggles deeper into her embrace. Chaeyoung just shakes her head, taking the liberty to answer the phone for her. 

“MINA ABORT THE GET DRUNK, GET LAID MISSION! Tzuyu said that Chaeyoung doesn’t get drunk ever!” Momo screams at her through the phone before she can even greet her. That is why she doesn’t even realize it’s not Mina she’s talking to, just blabbering out what she wants to say. 

“Hi Momo-unnie.” Chaeyoung greets belatedly, finally understanding why her girlfriend is dead drunk in her arms now. Mina was trying to make her drunk, making her down shots after shots together, but because of her insane tolerance, Mina ends up being the only one drunk. “Is this why Mina is dead drunk in my arms now?” 

Momo groans, not only did their plan backfire, Chaeyoung even found out about it. She hears Sana and Momo conversing in the back about this whole situation and Sana answers for Momo instead. “Hi Chaeyoungie! Well since you know now anyway, why don’t you just grant Mina’s wish? Poor girl just wants to get laid.” Sana says chirpily as if she’s not suggesting for them to engage in activities that are not appropriate for children. 

Chayoung blushes beet red and is about to retort back when Mina snatches the phone away from her. “Hello, I don’t know who you are but please call back again tomorrow, my girlfriend is busy with me right now. Bye.” Mina ends the call and climbs onto Chaeyoung’s lap, not caring if they are in a public area by the beach where everyone can see them. She loops her arms around the fighter’s neck, staring at her with hooded eyes. “You focus on me, and only me tonight, okay?” 

Chaeyoung can only nod, unable to form any coherent sentences with the hypnotizing way Mina is staring at her. She sighs in contentment as Mina leans in to kiss her, thinking that the medical student will really be the death of her, and she wouldn’t mind, at all. 

\--

Nayeon is glad the date is finally over. Don’t get her wrong, it was great, he was nice and accommodating but there was just something lacking. He didn’t have a dorky smile that makes her feel like smiling, didn’t make her feel butterflies in her stomach when he pulled out her chair for her, and most importantly, he wasn’t Jeongyeon. She shakes her head, where did that thought come from? She must be crazy from spending too much time with the girl that she’s all Nayeon can think about. The bunny toothed girl walks out of the restaurant with him, nodding absentmindedly at what he’s saying, obviously not paying attention. However, her attention is immediately captured by someone at the door of the restaurant. Jeongyeon is standing there, leaning against her bike with her arms crossed as she glares at the guy beside her with an unamused expression. Nayeon hates how her attention goes to her so easily, hates how she thinks the other girl looks hot like that with an irate expression on her face.

“Huh?” She finally realizes the guy is talking to her, breaking eye contact with Jeongyeon to look back at him. 

“I asked if you want a ride home.” He repeats, smiling at her. 

“I’m sorry, I already have a ride home.” Nayeon tells him apologetically, because he is a really nice guy, but he’s just not what she needs. 

“Oh,” his face falters a bit, “it’s okay then. I can wait with you till your ride comes?” 

“Actually… She’s already here.” Nayeon gestures towards Jeongyeon, who has already taken out her helmet from the trunk and holding it. She had stuck little rabbit stickers all around the extra helmet in Jeongyeon’s bike, and the girl had nearly killed her when she found out and only relented when Nayeon retorted that she was the only one who took her bike anyway. The helmet was customized by her, and for her anyway. 

“Oh okay… I will see you again then?” He smiles uneasily, because Jeongyeon is still glaring at him and Nayeon pities him a little, enough to lie. “Yeah.” (She isn’t going to meet him again.) 

She exchanges goodbye with him and makes her way to Jeongyeon, stopping in front of the girl. It’s only 9, the girl should be in their café instead of standing in front of her like this. “Why are you here? What about the café?”

Jeongyeon finally stops glaring at the guy, turning her attention to her. She places the helmet on her head, adjusting it. “I closed the shop earlier.”

“What!” Nayeon exclaims, that’s one hour less of profits. “Why would you do that?!” 

“Because I’m the boss and I want to.” Jeongyeon tells her, fastening the clip of the helmet underneath her chin. She takes out a jacket from her trunk, gesturing for the older girl to get on the bike. Nayeon does, and Jeongyeon immediately drapes the jacket over her legs, before getting on the bike herself. She revs the engine, making sure to shoot one last pointed look at the guy before speeding off. 

Nayeon tightens her arms around Jeongyeon’s waist, relishing in the warmth of the latter. At the end of the day, she’s glad to be back with the younger girl again. But sometimes, she wished Jeongyeon didn’t care so much, at least that would have made things so much easier, made it easier for her to run away from these feelings that she doesn’t want to acknowledge. She had been running from them since forever, and recently, it feels like it’s catching up on her, feels like she can’t keep running away from it anymore.

\--

Chaeyoung grunts as she shifts to get a better grip on Mina so that she can unlock their room door. The girl is almost totally dead drunk against her, Chaeyoung supporting most of her weight. She helps Mina into the room and onto the bed, groaning in relief as she lies down beside Mina. Turning to look at the girl beside her, she shakes her head, finding how ridiculous this whole situation is. Mina wanted to make her drunk to give her some liquid courage to move their relationship to the next stage, but what she doesn’t know is that all she has to do is ask. It’s not like she can say no to Mina anyway. She sighs, poking the mole on Mina’s nose, causing the girl to scrunch her face a little. “You are lucky you are cute.” 

She wants to get up to wash up when Mina drapes a hand over her waist, nuzzling into the crook of her neck. Chaeyoung chuckles as she runs her hand through Mina’s hair. “Mina, I have to go wash up.” 

Mina just shakes her head furiously and burrow closer, tightening her hold around Chaeyoung. “Don’t go.” 

The little fighter can easily subdue her opponents in the ring, but here she is so easily subdued by her drunk girlfriend. “Alright, I’m not going.” She lifts Mina’s head a little to put her arm there, letting Mina use her arm as a pillow. “Comfortable?” 

Mina hums and Chaeyoung takes the chance to look at her carefully. She’s beautiful, but even more so close up like that. The moles dotting her face, her eye lashes that are naturally curled. Chaeyoung didn’t believe perfection is possible, but now she knows better. 

“You look perfect tonight.” 

Mina doesn’t reply, probably falling back asleep already, but Chaeyoung doesn’t mind. It’s insane how this is the first time they are sharing a bed together, but Chaeyoung already wants to do this every day for the rest of her life. She wants to go to bed with and wake up to this girl in her arms. But it’s impossible, because tomorrow, they will leave here and head back to their normal lives, and she is really not looking forward to that. Maybe in the future, she will give her a ring and make it happen, but for now, she will just take whatever she can get. 

She leans in to plant a gentle kiss on Mina’s forehead. “Sweet dreams, Minari.”


	4. i knew you were trouble

The first thing Mina realizes when she wakes up is the pounding pain in her head. She opens her eyes, and it takes her a few seconds before she registers the unfamiliar ceiling she’s faced with. When she does, panic fills her veins, thinking that she had been kidnapped. It’s only when she turns to her side to see Chaeyoung deep asleep beside her, mouth slightly open that she gets her bearings back, recalling where this is. Her sunshine’s sleeping habits only makes her cuter, and she can’t help but smile as she looks at her. It’s very cute alright, and she would have been better able to appreciate it if only her head doesn't feel like it will burst anytime now. Stupid hangover.

 

Groaning, she pulls herself up, wanting to head to the toilet to wash up first, and her headache just gets worse with every step she takes. By the time she gets to the toilet, she can feel her stomach churning and she barely makes it into the toilet bowl in time before it all comes up and out. She’s hurling up into the toilet bowl, regretting all the decisions she made last night when she feels hands combing her hair back and holding it before a hand pats her gently on the back.

 

When she’s finally done, she leans back tentatively, and the girl behind her immediately holds her in her arms securely. The girl behind her closes the lid of the toilet bowl, letting her sit there while she flushes the toilet before giving her a cup of water. As she drinks, Chaeyoung takes the time to wipe her mouth, cleaning her up. She feels sorry for waking Chaeyoung up, but also thankful that she is here to take care of her.

 

“I’m sorry.” She mumbles, burying her face into Chaeyoung’s shirt for being a burden.

 

“Silly, don’t be.” Chaeyoung tells her, patting her head gently. “Are you feeling better?”

 

Mina shakes her head, but it only makes her headache worse, which elicits a groan from her. “My head feels like it’s going to burst.”

 

“You will feel better after getting some food, so let’s hurry and wash up.” Chaeyoung prods, trying to pull her away, but Mina doesn’t budge.

 

“No,” Mina whines, “I just want to stay here with you.”

 

Mina has always loved affection from her, but this reminds her of drunk Mina yesterday. That was on another level, where the girl didn’t even let her leave her side for one second. Chaeyoung chuckles, “That’s what you said yesterday too.”

 

Mina pulls away, horrified expression on her face. “I didn’t do anything weird last night, did I?”

 

“That’s for me to know, and for you to find out.” Chaeyoung teases her as she gets Mina’s toothbrush and squeezes toothpaste on it, handing it out to her. “Come on, wash up, I will be outside.”

 

Mina takes the toothbrush and starts brushing her teeth begrudgingly, mind running wild thinking about all the things her drunk self could have done to embarrass her.

 

“You didn’t do anything weird,” Chaeyoung tells her on the way out, putting Mina’s mind as ease as she heaves a sigh of relief.

 

The little fighter stops and leans against the toilet door, “But you know, if you want to do _anything_ , you can always tell me. I wouldn’t judge, or mind.” She wiggles her eyebrows before stepping out, and Mina nearly chokes on the foam of the toothpaste.

 

\--

 

“Oh, come on, are you still embarrassed?” Chaeyoung teases as she swings their entwined hands. Mina had been so mortified to find out about the phone call Chaeyoung had with Momo, and she didn’t know if that was more embarrassing, or if her imagined scenario of her drunk self hitting on Chaeyoung would be more embarrassing.

 

“I’m not!” Mina retorts, but her red cheeks give her away. She has a heart to shake off Chaeyoung’s hand and run off, but she immediately gives up, knowing that she won’t be able to outrun her anyway.

 

Chaeyoung laughs, before squeezing Mina’s hand, reassuring her that it’s okay. They have been dating for a while now, it’s only normal to want to take their relationship to the next stage. Maybe she will do something about it next time, now that she knows that they are on the same page about wanting to take it to the next level. They are almost nearing Mina’s house, and she has one last surprise for her before she lets her go. (She had planned to give it to her last night, but well, things happened.)

 

“Come on, let’s sit there for a while.” She tells Mina, dragging her to the playground. Thankfully, Mina doesn’t question her, just follows her along.

 

She sits the girl on the bench, standing in front of her. “Close your eyes.”

 

 “Why, what are you up to again?” Mina frowns in suspicion, but complies anyway. Her sunshine is always full of tricks and surprises, and she still can’t get used to it even though she has been on the receiving end of many of such surprises.

 

“You will see.” Chaeyoung says in glee, putting down her bag to look for a box. Finding it easily, she takes it out and removes the contents of the box, kneeling down in front of Mina. She takes off Mina’s shoes, eliciting a gasp from the girl and she proceeds to put on her present for Mina. She had wanted to get Mina a unique gift for their anniversary, one that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Combining that with her drawing talent, she decided to get shoes for Mina, drawing on them so that she could truly give her something truly special, one of a kind, one in a million. She sighs in relief when the shoes fit snugly on Mina’s feet, and she looks up to see the girl with her eyes open already and looking down at her.

 

She smiles, “Happy 6th month anniversary, my Cinderella.”

 

Mina is finally able to take a good look at the shoes on her feet, and sees that it has drawings on them, no doubt by Chaeyoung. It’s nothing much, but Mina loves it. She had always loved getting handmade items, knowing how much heart and effort went into making it, and this right here just takes the cake for the best present she has ever received. “Chaeyoung-ah…”

 

“I know there’s still some time before our anniversary, but I will just give it to you in advance. You know how impatient I get whenever I have a gift for you.” Chaeyoung says sheepishly. This isn’t the first time she had given Mina gifts before their anniversary or her birthday, always unable to wait until the actual day to give it to her. In her defence, why should she only be allowed to give gifts on special occasions? She should be allowed to spoil her girlfriend whenever she wants, screw special occasions. “Just heads up, don’t wear this out on rainy days, the ink will smudge.”

 

Mina pulls her in to give her a heated kiss, not knowing what she did to deserve such an angelic girl as her girlfriend. They break apart, panting from the lack of air. “I love you.”

 

Chaeyoung beams at her. “I know, I love myself too.”

 

Mina hits her, hates how she always breaks the mood at the worse times. “God, why do I love an idiot…”

 

“Cos I’m your idiot.” Chaeyoung laughs, standing upright again. “Come on, let me walk you home now.”

 

\--

 

The first thing Chaeyoung notices when she opens the door is the loud sound of the vacuum. She steps in, announcing her return and Jeongyeon nods at her before continuing to push the vacuum against the floor so harshly the little fighter is almost certain that there are going to be scratches left on the floor from the impact. But she also knows Jeongyeon only does it when she’s stressed or angry, and knows better than to bother her. She heads in, catching the eye of Nayeon, who waves at her lazily, before turning back to her drama series playing on the TV.

 

“What’s wrong with Jeongyeon-unnie?” She asks Nayeon as she plops down beside her on the couch, reaching for some of the chips the bunny is currently munching on.

 

The older girl just shrugs. “She has been acting weird ever since yesterday, but she will be fine soon.”

 

“What happened yesterday? Did you forget to throw out the trash again?” Chaeyoung asks, knowing that there are only a few things that can get Jeongyeon so riled up.

 

“Excuse me?” Nayeon scoffs, “why do you assume it’s me? Besides if anyone should be angry, I should be the one who’s angry. She babied me the whole day yesterday, even picked me up after my blind date like my mom!”

 

“You went on a blind date?! How was it?” Chaeyoung asks, so engrossed and curious about what she’s going to hear that she doesn’t even realize that the vacuum sounds have already ceased and Jeongyeon is leaning nearer to them to eavesdrop.

 

Nayeon shrugs. “He’s alright, but I don’t think I will go out with him again.”

 

“That’s right, you deserve better than him!” Jeongyeon suddenly shouts from behind, causing the two of them to jump in shock. They both turn behind to look at her, who just clears her throat sheepishly before switching the vacuum on again. She is no longer pushing the vacuum cleaner as if she wants to scrape the floor off, her steps are light and there’s a small smile growing on her face.

 

Chaeyoung shakes her head at how obvious, yet oblivious the both of them are to their own feelings. Anyone can tell there is something between the two of them, with how much they care for each other, but it seems like they are also the only two who don’t know about it. She doesn’t know if they are just refusing to admit it, or just plain dense.

 

“Well, enough about me. How was your trip with Mina?” Nayeon asks, not even giving a second thought about Jeongyeon’s erratic behaviour. (This is why they haven’t been able to move on from being best friends, _both_ of them are dense as hell.)

 

“It was great.” Chaeyoung says with a lovestruck sigh, thinking back on the blissful weekend she had with Mina. To be honest, they didn’t do much during the trip, but she still enjoyed herself a lot. It wasn’t so much what they did, but who she went with that made the trip memorable for her. She can’t wait for their next trip.

 

Nayeon grimaces, pushing Chaeyoung away. “Okay forget I asked, I forgot you guys are the sweetest couple alive.”

 

Chaeyoung sticks out her tongue as she stands up, going to clean herself up before Jeongyeon screams at her. “You are just jealous!”

 

\--

 

Chaeyoung enters the gym, and she sees a sweaty Dahyun already punching a sandbag. She first knew of Dahyun from the rapping club in school, both of them joining to spit some verses but then quickly becoming friends. From then on, they are like two peas in a pod. When Jeongyeon told them of this MMA gym that her friend, aka Jihyo, a retired MMA fighter, is going to open, they had both joined together, trying to make something out of it.

 

“Yo Dubs!” She calls out, and Dahyun stops her reps to wave at her.

 

“Glad to see you back, buddy. How was the trip with Mina?” She asks, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. “I want all the deets.”

 

Chaeyoung shakes her head while chuckling. “Sorry, nothing juicy.”

 

“Damnit! Now I owe Tzuyu $20.” Dahyun groans, “I was rooting for you, how could you disappoint me!”

 

“You guys really placed a bet on my sex life?” Chaeyoung deadpans, going to the benches to place her bag down. But then again, placing a bet on her sex life is definitely something her two best friends will do. Tzuyu had transferred over from Taiwan in the second year of high school, and after pairing up for a school project, they had stuck together. That was how the two best friends become three. She would say Tzuyu was the most level-headed and mature one out of the three of them, but there is also a reason why they are still friends.

 

“Come on, you are the only one who can get some game within the three of us, can’t you let us live vicariously, at least through you?” Dahyun laments, walking away from the sandbag and closer to her.

 

“Why do you assume I’m the only one attached? Tzuyu may have someone too, for all you know.” Chaeyoung doesn’t know if Tzuyu does have someone or not, but the best way to save herself from the hot seat and Dahyun’s intruding questions is to divert the attention away. That is why she is just saying baseless stuff, which thankfully worked, because Dahyun is gasping.

 

“No way, what do you know! I can’t believe she told you and not me!” Dahyun complains and before Chaeyoung can reply, their coach’s door swings open, and Jihyo runs out with a crazed look in her eyes.

 

“Chaeyoung-ah!” She shouts, running over to the smaller girl to engulf her in a big hug. Pulling away with tears in her eyes, she looks at the smaller girl proudly. “Guess who is going to make her UFC debut?”

 

Chaeyoung just gapes, still processing Jihyo’s words when Dahyun jumps off the ring, running to them. “No way! Did UFC call already?”

 

Jihyo nods positively. “I just got off the phone with them, and they will be down within this week to sign the contract with her.”

 

Dahyun immediately jumps on Chaeyoung, head locking her. “I knew you could do it!”

 

UFC is the biggest global MMA competition, featuring only the best MMA fighters, so it’s no surprise that every MMA fighter’s dream is to be able to be signed by UFC. Chaeyoung is undefeated thus far, winning all 5 of the matches she had took part in, and Jihyo had mentioned to her that some UFC scouts have been talking to her, but now that the offer has really come in, it doesn’t feel real.

 

“Are you for real?” Chaeyoung asks, unable to believe the news.

 

“Yes, so start training!” Jihyo goes into coach-mode, hands on her waist as she looks at them reproachingly. Chaeyoung immediately sprints out, starting on her warm up runs happily. She hates warming up and cooling down the most, because they always start and end training with runs, but now, she finds that she can run one whole round around the Earth with all the adrenaline pumping in her body from the news. (She can’t wait to share the news with Mina.)

 

Jihyo looks at Dahyun. “And you, no slacking too. You have a match next month! 5 more reps on the sandbag!”

 

\--

 

Jeongyeon grins as she puts down the cup of caramel macchiato in front of Nayeon. “One cup of caramel macchiato for the lady boss!”

 

Nayeon narrows her eyes at her best friend. Jeongyeon is always either snarky or sarcastic to her, so something is definitely very wrong when she’s talking so amicably to her. She points at the girl with the pen in her hand. “Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?”

 

“Why can’t I be nice to my best friend?” Jeongyeon leans against the counter, staring at Nayeon with the biggest grin on her face. Although she didn’t understand why, she had been in a good mood ever since she heard Nayeon saying that the blind date didn’t work out. It’s quite mean of her to not want it to work out, but the guy just didn’t seem good enough for Nayeon. (She might have only seen the guy for like, 5 seconds but she can judge people really well, okay?)

 

Nayeon rolls her eyes, obviously not believing her. “Get lost.”

 

Jeongyeon just beams at her with the biggest shit-eating grin before turning to wipe the counter. Nayeon just shakes her head, taking a sip of the cup of coffee before focusing back on stock taking. Not long after, the bell chimes, signalling a new customer.

 

“Wel-“ They are supposed to greet their customers, but Nayeon stops midway when she realizes who the person who just made her way into the café is. It’s a face she hasn’t seen in a long time, and she had hoped not to see her ever again, but alas, she is standing in front of her, an arrogant look on her face like always.

 

Nayeon immediately crosses her arms, staring squarely at the girl in front of her. “You are not welcome here.”

 

The girl takes off her sunglasses haughtily and looks at Nayeon as if she’s not worth her time. “I’m not here for you, I’m here for her.”

 

She shifts her attention to Jeongyeon, who hasn’t caught on to the commotion yet, still busy cleaning the area. The girl softens, voice suddenly so much sweeter as she calls out for her, “Jeongyeon-ah,”

 

Jeongyeon responds, but immediately stiffens when she locks eyes with the girl. All the past memories she had with her rushed back, and Jeongyeon finds herself clenching her fists. She takes a moment to compose herself, focusing on the present to anchor herself, hoping that her voice doesn’t tremble, “What are you doing here, Bona?”

 

“I’m here to look for you. Don’t you miss me?” Bona blinks her eyes at her innocently, and the Jeongyeon in the past would have fallen for her tricks immediately.

 

(“Jeongyeon-ah!” Bona calls out sweetly, batting her eyelids at her innocently. The girl is outside her door, staring at her with puppy dog eyes when she opened the door and Jeongyeon just stares back at her emotionlessly. She had called things off with the girl a few days ago after having caught her cheating. Again. It’s a cycle: she catches her cheating, they break up, Bona comes back to coax her with her innocent googly eyes, they get back together again, and the cycle repeats. This isn’t the first time Jeongyeon had caught her, and it certainly won’t be the last. Jeongyeon is tired of this game they are playing, she doesn’t even know why she forgives Bona time and again when the result will always be the same.

 

She sighs, wants to ask Bona to go back home, wants to put an end to this game they are playing, when Bona just snakes her arms around her nape, crashing her lips onto hers. The kiss brings her mind to a blank, and she forgets her previous thoughts as she wraps her arms around Bona’s waist. Just one more time, maybe this time, things will finally be different.)

 

But the Jeongyeon now has been there, and knows exactly what Bona is playing at. Those puppy eyes might have worked on her then, but it only makes her feel like vomiting now as she stares into them now. She turns away and sees Nayeon beside her, glaring at the girl as she taps her finger furiously against the counter top. She doesn’t know what compels her to take Nayeon’s hand into hers, entwining their hands together, as if to show off to Bona (even though there isn’t anything between her and Nayeon). “You should leave.”

 

Thankfully, Nayeon doesn’t pull away, just tightens her grip on Jeongyeon’s hand as she barks at Bona. “You heard her.”

 

Bona eyes their entwined hands and scoffs, knowing that she will never be able to talk to Jeongyeon with Nayeon around. The girl has always been an interference to their relationship, then and now. She decides it’s best to retreat for now and catch Jeongyeon another time to be able to talk to her alone, without Im Nayeon around. “I’ll be back. Pick up my calls, if not I will take it as an invitation for me to come down again.” She tells Jeongyeon as she slips on her sunglasses again. Wanting to make things clear to Nayeon, she tells her, “Also, she’s just holding your hand to make me angry, don’t think for a second she has any feelings for you.”

 

The moment the girl leaves the café, Nayeon snaps and shakes Jeongyeon’s hands off hers. She’s angry that Bona had the nerve to turn up in front of them again after so long. She had always hated that girl, always being obnoxious, arrogant and spoilt, treating Jeongyeon like a slave instead of a girlfriend. But what she hated the most was how Jeongyeon had chose that girl, how Jeongyeon went back to her time and again even though it was clearly a toxic relationship. _(What does she have that I don’t?)_ But she’s more furious that Jeongyeon had used her as a cover-up, because even though it feels good to piss Bona off, she didn’t want to be given false hope. “Don’t hold my hand ever again. She’s your problem, don’t make it mine.”

 

Jeongyeon sighs as she slumps down on the stool behind her, watching as Nayeon stomps into the backroom. She deserved that, she really shouldn’t have held Nayeon’s hand like that. But seeing Bona again after so long had made her panic, and she did the only reasonable thing her brain could think of; hold on to the older girl. Nayeon has always been a source of comfort for her no matter how much she bullies her, or how clumsy the older girl is. She really needed to feel Nayeon’s presence to calm her nerves, to anchor her in the present, the reality. She sighs, deciding to let Nayeon cool off before apologizing to her later. The bigger problem is Bona, she doesn’t know why the girl is suddenly back after so long, but she just knows this means trouble.

 

\--

 

Jeongyeon locks the café up, and looks up to see Nayeon already walking off. She runs after Nayeon, grabbing her by the wrist to stop her.

 

“My bike is over there,” She points at the opposite direction of where Nayeon is heading, but the older girl just throws her grip off. “I know, but the bus stop is over there.”

 

She has already apologized, so she didn’t expect Nayeon to still be angry at her, but she sighs. “Nabongs, I’m sorry for just now okay? You can continue to be angry at me, but at least ride with me, it’s late.”

 

Nayeon crosses her arms, annoyed that this type of gestures from Jeongyeon makes her heart flutter, because she also knows that Jeongyeon is not on the same page as her when it comes to her feelings. But she asks, because she still holds a flicker of hope in her that they might be on the same page. “Why do you care?”

 

“What do you mean, you are my best friend, of course I care about you!” Jeongyeon retorts.

 

Nayeon’s heart positively breaks and she laughs hollowly. “That’s right, that’s all I will ever be. Your ‘best friend’. Your best friend, I, want some time alone today. Don’t follow me.”

 

She turns and stalks towards the bus stop, and Jeongyeon had a heart to follow her, but decided against it. Nayeon sounded serious, and she knew better than to push the girl. But she wondered what that outburst was about. They had grown up together, the two of them and Jihyo, so they are definitely best friends. But it seems like Nayeon doesn’t seem to be satisfied with their relationship anymore, and Jeongyeon doesn’t understand what brought the change when they have been like this for almost all of their lives. What else does she want, what else can they be other than best friends?

 

She ignores the small voice in her head that tells her that Nayeon is acting like this because she wants them to be more than friends, more than best friends, because there is no way the older girl sees her that way, does she? She finds old, suppressed feelings coming up to the surface, ones that she didn’t know still exist. She had always liked Nayeon more than a friend, but had ignored it for their friendship. Bona came along, and she thought she had completely moved on with the rich girl, but she knows now that that’s not the case. She sighs, walking to her bike. This just makes things even more complicated and messy, she has to deal with Bona (the girl wouldn’t give up so easily, so she knows today won’t be the last they see of her), a moody Nayeon and her own feelings now.

 

\--

 

Chaeyoung is drying her hair when she sees her phone ringing, and she smiles as she picks it up. “Helloooooo?” She stretches out her words cutely, sounding like a fool.

 

“Hi,” Mina greets back shyly, giggling slightly.

 

On days where they don’t get to meet each other, they try their best to give each other a call so that they can at least hear each other’s voices for the day. Chaeyoung flops down onto her bed, “How’s your day?”

 

“Tiring. I had a whole day of classes, and there’s going to be another test at the end of the week again.” Mina complains, whining cutely as she talks about her day.

 

Chaeyoung frowns and can’t help but worry for her girlfriend. In med school, the exams never seem to cease, which means Mina never seems to be able to take a break from it. She sighs, feeling so helpless at being unable to make things better for her. “What can I do to make you feel better?”

 

“Take me out on a date on Friday after my exam.” Mina answers without hesitation. “I have been craving for some spicy rice cakes since forever.”

 

“Sure,” Chaeyoung smiles as she starts planning their date night in her head, wanting to prepare everything so that all Mina has to do is to enjoy herself and relax on Friday.

 

“How about you? How have your day been?” Mina asks, voice soft.

 

Chaeyoung clears her throat, suddenly feeling very nervous. She wants to tell Mina about her signing with UFC, but she doesn’t know how the girl will react, knowing how much she hates her fighting. “I… got signed by UFC today.”

 

She hears a sudden intake of air over the line and then, nothing. It takes a few seconds before Mina replies, “UFC? The one you have been dreaming about?”

 

“Yeah…” Chaeyoung answers timidly, unable to gauge Mina’s reaction through the phone.

 

Mina sighs, knowing that Chaeyoung is definitely over the moon over this news, but she also hears the hesitance in the fighter’s voice when she was telling her, and she knows where that came from. She isn’t the biggest supporter of her fighting because she always got hurt, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t support her being a fighter. Besides, if this is really what Chaeyoung wants to do, she wants to be there every step of the way, supporting her in achieving her dreams like how Chaeyoung is doing for her.

 

“That’s a good thing, good job baby.” Mina tells her, still proud of the girlfriend despite the worry.

 

Chaeyoung feels herself let out a sigh of relief. “You are not angry?”

 

“I’m never angry at you for fighting, Chaengie. I just can’t help but worry every time you step into the octagon, you know.” Mina had looked through countless of websites on the internet dictating about the most horrifying and horrific injuries ever sustained in MMA matches, and she just doesn’t want Chaeyoung to end up on that list.

 

“I’ll be okay, alright?” Chaeyoung reassures her girlfriend. “I promise you I will tap out the moment I feel like I’m in danger.”

 

“You better.” Mina stifles a yawn, the drowsiness beginning to seep in.

 

Chaeyoung smiles, thinking about how cute her girlfriend must look now all huddled up in her blanket, ready for bed. “Go to sleep, I will see you on Friday.”

 

“No,” Mina whines, not wanting to call it a night already, “I want to talk to you longer.”

 

Chaeyoung chuckles lightly, “Go to bed, you still have classes early tomorrow.”

 

“Call me tomorrow, okay?” Mina relents, the fatigue of the day overpowering her as she forces her eyes open just for a little while more to finish the call with Chaeyoung.

 

“Okay, good night. Dream of me.” Chaeyoung whispers, and only hears steady breathing as her reply. She smiles and hangs up, her heart so full and happy just from a simple call with Mina.


	5. busted

Jeongyeon greets the three part-timers who entered the café, waving at them excitedly. Only Suhyun was scheduled for today, but she had asked Tzuyu and Yerim to come in too, planning to take Nayeon out. The girl is still visibly angry at her, not wanting to talk to her much other than for business related matters, and Jeongyeon decides she has to do something to placate the older girl.

 

“Why did you call us in?” Yerim grumbles like any normal person when they are asked to take on an extra shift they weren’t scheduled for.

 

“I’m taking Nayeon out.” Jeongyeon tells them truthfully, glad that the girl is currently in the backroom doing stock take.

 

“Good to hear that you are finally gathering some courage to do something about the cold war.” Tzuyu tells her straightforwardly, not even looking up from her phone.

 

Suhyun hits the tallest girl gently, but doesn’t disagree. “It’s indeed been tough coming to work these few days.” The atmosphere at the café has been stifling the past few days, everyone from customers and part-timers alike being able to sense that the two bosses of the café are not on good terms like usual.

 

Jeongyeon sighs, knowing how much inconvenience they have caused to everyone. “I know, so I’m going to make things right tonight. Hopefully.”

 

The three part-timers wish her luck, and head into the backroom to prepare for their shifts. Nayeon comes out a few seconds later, holding her arms at her waist. “Why did you call Tzuyu and Yerim in? We have enough for today.”

 

“Not if we are not in.” Jeongyeon sees the three coming out with their aprons on, ready for work and she nods at them, handing over the shop to them. She turns Nayeon around, pushing her back to the backroom. Once they are inside, Jeongyeon takes off her apron, musters up all her courage and looks the older girl in the eyes. “I’m bringing you out tonight.”

 

\--

 

Mina sprays some perfume on herself and checks her appearance once more before getting her purse, ready to go for that date with Chaeyoung. The week is finally over, and the date today with her sunshine is the only thing powering her through the long week. Skipping down the stairs, she bids goodbye to her mother, who’s sitting at the dining table looking through her documents.

 

“Bye Mom, I’m going out for dinner!”

 

“Okay. Oh and Mina, clear your schedules next Friday.” Her mother tells her, not looking up from the documents in front of her.

 

“Why?” Mina asks, racking her brain on the possible occasions why her mother asked her to clear up her schedules. As far as she can remember, it’s not anyone’s birthday in the family. Chaeyoung’s debut UFC match is next Friday too, so she hopes it’s some appointment she can get out off.

 

“Have dinner with the Seo’s family son. He’s a good looking and capable guy, and a few years older than you, a perfect fit for you.” Sachiko Myoui says with a small smile as she looks at Mina.

 

Mina had always listened to her mother, going on those blind dates her mother set her up on, accepting her fate that only some guy from another rich family will be worthy of being her future life partner. But that was before she met Chaeyoung and knew that that’s not true, that she still has the choice to fight and carve out her own path, her own future with Chaeyoung. And that is why she is taking the first step on that path. “I’m sorry Mama, I won’t be able to make it next Friday, I have an important assignment due.”

 

Mina tells her mother, and continues walking to the door. But her mother next’s words have her frozen in her spot.

 

“You are going if you don’t want your little girlfriend to be hurt.”

 

She tries her best to refute it, but she knows it’s futile. “Wh-what are you talking about?”

 

“Nothing escapes me, Mina-chan.” She pulls out a folder and throws it, the contents spilling out on the table. Even from where she is at the door Mina can see it, it’s all photos of her and Chaeyoung; in her school, after the fighter’s training, and even that little vacation they took in Busan. She’s too naïve to believe that she can hide this from her mother.

 

Mina’s plan has always been to hide, not realizing that she was like a bird trying to hide in a bird cage, her every action still being seen no matter how. She’s angry at how her mother can just send a private investigator to tail her, with no regards of her privacy. “You hired a PI to tail me?”

 

“That isn’t important right now. What’s important is you break up with that fighter before the press knows of your relationship. You are Myoui Mina, the heir of Myeongjeong Hospital. You are born to be in the elite sector of the society, keep it that way. That girl can’t help you in your future, she’s no good for you, she will only bring you down.”

 

This is how she’s been brought up, shuffling from ballet, piano to etiquette classes to be the person they deemed fit to be the inheritor of her father’s hospital. Life was mundane, meaningless until she met Chaeyoung. The girl taught her how to live, how to be happy. “She makes me happy, Mama.”

 

Sachiko scoffs. “Of course she does, why do you think she sticks around you? It’s because you are rich, she only loves your money, do you really think she loves you?”

 

Her mother’s suggestion has her frozen in shock, she has never thought of it that way. She shakes her head, steeling herself. She trusts Chaeyoung. “Chaeyoung isn’t someone like that! You don’t know anything, Mama.”

 

“What I do know is that there will be consequences if you don’t break up with her immediately. You can kiss your inheritance to the hospital goodbye.” Her mother warns her, and for the first time in her life, Mina rebels against her mother.

 

“I have never wanted to inherit the hospital anyway.” Mina mutters. If she has to choose between Chaeyoung or the hospital, she will choose the former in a heartbeat, without any hesitation. The hospital has given her nothing but worries, worries of being not good enough, but Chaeyoung is the opposite. The fighter makes her feel loved, teaches her that it’s okay to be lacking, that she’s still perfect even with her flaws. “I will not give up on her.”

 

“I’m leaving now,” Mina bows at her mother, done with this conversation. She has always given in to her mother, but this is one thing she will never budge. She will never give up on Son Chaeyoung, even if it will cost her everything.

 

Mina leaves, the door slamming after her and Sachiko just picks up her phone, not even fazed by her daughter’s outburst. She had expected it, and if Mina doesn’t want to give up, she will just have to make her, one way or another. There’s a reason why she’s one of the most sought-after lawyer in town, it’s because she seldom loses.

 

\--

 

Nayeon crosses her arms as she sits down in their favourite snack store. When Jeongyeon said she was bringing her out, she was expecting a western restaurant that serves steak and wine, and not spicy rice cakes at the outdoor tent store they frequent when they were in university.

 

“You seriously brought me here to eat spicy rice cakes?” Nayeon asks, unable to understand why they would need to take a break from the café to eat spicy rice cakes. (The shop across the street from the café sells them too for goodness sake!)

 

“Yeah, it’s your favourite, isn’t it?” Jeongyeon pushes the bowl of spicy rice cakes towards her eagerly. “I ordered fish cakes too, I know how much you love those too. Don’t worry, I’m paying today, so just eat to your heart’s content!” Jeongyeon grins widely.

 

Being poor university students, they had to share one bowl of spicy rice cakes and a stick of fish cake last time. They would fight for the last bite of the fish cake, but Jeongyeon always relented in the end, letting Nayeon have the last mouth. It’s also the reason why Nayeon hasn’t been able to move on from this crush for the other girl, because she always takes care of her so well.

 

She snaps her chopsticks apart, pointing at Jeongyeon. “You are paying?”

 

Jeongyeon nods fervently, her smile growing wider knowing that this means Nayeon is softening and opening up already. “Of course! Eat as much as you want today!”

 

Nayeon smirks, because of course she’s not going to let Jeongyeon off so easily. “Ahjumma, 1 more serving of spicy rice cakes, fish cakes and 2 bottles of soju here please!”

 

\--

 

Mina stands outside the gym, watching Chaeyoung hit the sandbag. Her mother’s words ring in her head, causing doubt to plague her. Does Chaeyoung really love her? She has indeed told Mina that many times, and also shown through her actions, but Mina can’t help the doubts growing in her head. She hates how easily swayed she is by her mother’s words, hates how her trust in Chaeyoung can be so easily destroyed by a few words.

 

She’s too busy brooding to realize that the gym door is opened by Dahyun, who’s on her way out. The girl jumps a little when she sees Mina standing outside the gym. “Shi- Mina-unnie! What are you doing here? You can just go in and take a seat.” Dahyun tells her, thinking that Mina is standing outside because she doesn’t want to disrupt her training.

 

“No, it’s okay,” Mina tries to tell Dahyun, she doesn’t want to go in yet, doesn’t want to face Chaeyoung yet, she still needs some time to collect her thoughts.

 

But it’s too late, because the commotion at the door catches the attention of Chaeyoung, the little fighter immediately stopping the motion of the sandbag to grin and wave at her. “Minari! You are early!”

 

“Yeah,” She smiles and enters, thanking Dahyun, who is holding the door for her. The latter just waves it off and leaves, leaving only the two of them in the gym. The smile on Chaeyoung’s face grows as she looks at Mina. She’s tired from the training today, but the thought of being able to go on a date with Mina powered her through the whole day, and seeing Mina right now makes it even better.

 

“I’m sorry, give me a few more minutes, I just have one more rep to finish.” Chaeyoung tells her sheepishly, and Mina nods, tells her to take her time before settling down on a bench, watching her finish up her last rep. Chaeyoung sends fast and accurate punches to the sandbag, and Mina knows she shouldn’t be disrupting her girlfriend’s training, but she really needs her right now. She gets up from the bench, running to embrace the fighter in a back hug, not caring if she’s all sweaty.

 

Chaeyoung laughs, thinking Mina is just being clingy and pats Mina’s arms that are encircled around her waist. “Minari, I’m sweaty and gross.”

 

Mina just tightens her arms around Chaeyoung’s waist without saying anything else, and the latter senses that she’s not being clingy like usual, but something has gotten her girlfriend upset and she’s just seeking comfort from her. She removes Mina’s arms and turns around to look at the girl carefully, sees the frown on her face and knows that she’s right.

 

She slides her hands down from Mina’s arms to hold her hands. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

 

Mina just shakes her head, burying herself into Chaeyoung’s embrace. It’s not like she can tell the fighter that she’s doubting her love, or that her mother wants her to break up with her, so she just sighs and hugs Chaeyoung tighter.

 

The fighter seems to get the hint that Mina doesn’t want to talk, and just pats Mina’s back, hoping that it will make her feel better. She doesn’t know what has gotten her girlfriend so upset, but she knows it must be serious seeing how affected she is. She still has one rep to finish, but all thoughts of it is out of her mind, her main focus is only on Mina, and making her feel better. That is why, the last rep can wait, she thinks as she pulls away slightly to peck kisses all over Mina’s face.

 

“What are you doing?” Mina laughs at the kisses Chaeyoung is giving her.

 

“Cheering my girlfriend up.” Chaeyoung stops to smile at her, resting her forehead against Mina’s to look into her eyes. She knows Mina doesn’t want to talk about it, but that doesn’t mean she cannot try to cheer her up. “I don’t know what has gotten you so upset, but don’t worry so much about it. Things will work out in the end, maybe not now, but eventually.”

 

“I love you so much, do you know that?” Mina tells her.

 

“I know, but do you know that I love you too?” Chaeyoung replies, smiling at her.

 

Her eyes don’t even waver when she replies, and Mina is reassured, knows that there is no way Chaeyoung is acting, or pretending to love her when she looks at her like she’s the brightest star in the sky. She delves in to hug Chaeyoung again, earning a chuckle from the other girl.

 

“Come on,” the fighter says as she lifts Mina up, carrying the girl while shuffling to where her belongings are, “let’s go on that date.”

 

\--

 

“Ahjumma, one more bottle of soju here!” Nayeon orders again, even though their whole table is filled to the brim with empty soju bottles. Jeongyeon waves at the ahjumma to cancel her order, “No, it’s alright, give us the bill instead.”

 

“I said one more bottle!” Nayeon hits the other girl on the shoulder for stopping her.

 

“Enough, you are drunk already.” Jeongyeon sighs, thinking she should have stopped Nayeon earlier and not let her get this drunk.

 

“Who are you to control me, huh?” Nayeon scoffs, head already lying down on the table. She mutters, more to herself than Jeongyeon. “She thinks just because I like her, I’m going to listen to whatever she says.”

 

But drunk Nayeon obviously doesn’t have very good volume control, because Jeongyeon heard her loud and clear. She’s shocked frozen looking at the collapsed girl as if she has grown another head. “You… like me?”

 

“I have liked you ever since elementary school but thanks for noticing now.” Nayeon grumbles as she buries her head into her arms, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep. “You are always too obsessed with that stupid girl to notice my feelings for you.”

 

Jeongyeon doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. They have been best friends for more than half of their lives, but it’s only now that Jeongyeon realizes her feelings for Nayeon have never been one-sided. She had been so busy concealing her own feelings for Nayeon to realize that the girl has the exact same feelings for her. They had wasted so much time, and she’s not going to waste anymore from now on. From tomorrow onwards, she’s going to court Nayeon properly.

 

Nayeon is asleep on the table already, and Jeongyeon smiles fondly at the girl even though she’s sleeping with her mouth open and drooling all over the table. She runs her hands gently through Nayeon’s hair.

_You are so gross, but so cute. And I’m so glad I can finally tell you; I love you so much._

 

\--

 

Mina snuggles closer to Chaeyoung on the couch as they watch Avengers on the tv. Just eating takeout and watching movies at Chaeyoung’s home may seem underwhelming for a date night, but Mina loves it, because she gets to do so many things she usually can’t. She gets to eat greasy street food that she never gets to eat at home because “it’s bad for her health”, she gets to binge watch her favourite Marvel movies without being told to study because “she shouldn’t waste her time on such mindless entertainment”, and best of all, she gets to cuddle with her sunshine like this.

 

“Are you cold? Should I turn up the heater?” Chaeyoung asks concernedly, thinking that she shifted closer to get more warmth. Mina shakes her head to reassure her. “I’m fine.”

 

Chaeyoung leaves it at that, tightening her arm around Mina’s frame before focusing back on the movie. It’s amazing how Chaeyoung may be smaller than her, but Mina always feels so protected and loved when she is in her arms. Love… The doubts sprout up again, never really leaving her mind, just waiting at the back of her mind to strike her again, like now. Before she can stop herself, she finds herself asking.

 

“Chaeyoungie.”

 

Chaeyoung hums, eyes still glued to the screen.

 

“Why do you love me?”

 

This gets Chaeyoung’s attention, the girl turning to look at the girl in her arms. Mina is avoiding eye contact and twirling her thumbs around each other, something she does only when she is nervous. She has a feeling it’s why Mina has been down the whole night, and she knows she has to answer well to make her girlfriend feel better.

 

“If love can be explained, then there wouldn’t be so many people in the world hurting because of it.”

 

Chaeyoung removes her arm around Mina to cup her face instead. “That is why, I just love you. There’s no reason for it.”

 

It wasn’t a big declaration of love, not one where she compared her love to how big the sky is or how deep the ocean is, but Mina likes this even better. There’s just no rational explanation when it comes to matters of the heart, and that is why there are separate organs; a heart to feel, and a brain to think. That is why, Mina decides to stop using her brain to think, and use her heart to feel, to feel how much Chaeyoung loves her.

 

She clambers onto Chaeyoung’s lap, leaning in to close the gap between the two of them. She kisses her sunshine slowly, wanting to convey all her feelings through it. She wants to let her know that she’s not alone, that she loves her back just as much. She pulls away, panting. “Thank you.”

 

“Welcome.” Chaeyoung tells her breathlessly, still recovering from the kiss.

 

She pushes her sunshine down onto the couch before lying down on her, listening to her beating heart, and knows that it’s beating for her. All those doubts from before is gone, she’s 100% sure that Chaeyoung loves her, but whether their love can withstand the upcoming trials and tribulations, is another thing to worry about. Mina reaches down to entwine her hand with Chaeyoung’s.

 

“Promise you will never leave me no matter what happens?”

 

“Okay,” Chaeyoung kisses her forehead, “You have my word.”


	6. i won't give up

Jeongyeon whistles as she cooks the eggs over the stove, her mood being exceptionally good. Her plan to chase Nayeon properly starts today, and what better way to start than to impress the girl with a well-cooked breakfast? (Anyway, it’s her turn to cook breakfast today too, so it works out well.)

 

“Why are you in such a good mood today?” Chaeyoung comments as she enters the kitchen, heading for the fridge to get her strawberry milk.

 

Jeongyeon shrugs her shoulders, not wanting to tell her younger sister yet. Although Chaeyoung isn’t a blabber mouth, there’s a slight possibility that she will go and tease Nayeon about her confession, and that will definitely cause the girl to avoid her. That’s going to make it harder for her to chase the bunny, so her knowledge about Nayeon liking her has to remain a secret until she manages to get the girl.

 

Thankfully, Chaeyoung doesn’t press further. “Should I go and wake Nayeon-unnie up?”

 

“No!” Jeongyeon shouts, causing the younger girl to jump. It’s not like Chaeyoung hasn’t woken up Nayeon before, but the knowledge she found out yesterday changed her. She wants to be the one to wake Nayeon up, to be the first one Nayeon sees before she wakes up. She clears her throat. “I will wake her up, help me plate the food.”

 

Chaeyoung gives her a judgmental look but doesn’t say anything otherwise, just taking the pan from her. She’s about to head into Nayeon’s room when she smells her clothes. It smells like oil because of the cooking she did just now, and she curses a little because she can’t wake Nayeon smelling like bacon! Heading into her shared room with Chaeyoung, she quickly changes into another tee and black jeans. She thinks about it for a few seconds before donning her leather jacket, wanting to get additional ‘cool’ points.

 

But her body also has the smell of oil, and there’s no time for her to shower before waking Nayeon up. She looks around the room, trying to find perfume and she can’t believe both of them don’t have a single bottle of perfume. (How did that little brat even manage to score Mina when she’s always sweaty, unappealing and probably smelly?) She’s about to have a mental breakdown when she spots the bottle of Febreze at the head of her bed. Bingo.

 

\--

 

Jeongyeon slips into Nayeon’s room, the girl on the bed sleeping like a starfish and her mouth wide open. (It’s super unglamorous, but why does she find it cute?) She sits on the bed, pushing away the few strands of hair on Nayeon’s face. She really doesn’t want to wake the girl up, but she has to because they have to get to work. She shakes Nayeon gently. “Nabongs, it’s time to wake up.”

 

Nayeon just groans as she turns away from Jeongyeon. “5 more minutes.”

 

“No, we are going to be late if you snooze some more.” Jeongyeon tells her gently, and she doesn’t remember when was the last time she spoke so gently to Nayeon. Well, it’s time to be nicer to her, she’s chasing her for goodness sake.

 

Nayeon takes a few more seconds stretching in bed before pushing herself up, massaging her temple. “Ugh, this hangover is going to kill me.”

 

Jeongyeon puts a cup of hangover tea in her hands, knowing this will happen. The past Jeongyeon will make snarky comments about how she shouldn’t have drunk so much yesterday then, but the Jeongyeon now just, “Here, have some hangover tea, it will help.”

 

Nayeon gulps it down obediently, and it’s only when she empties the cup that she’s awake and clear-minded enough to see the girl in front of her. Jeongyeon is in fancy clothes, as if she’s about to go on a date. “Why are you in such nice clothes? Are you going on a date?” She sneers.

 

“I wish.” Jeongyeon says, taking the empty cup from her before pulling her out of bed. “I’m just trying to impress someone, okay?”

 

Nayeon immediately hits Jeongyeon on the arm. It’s only been a few days that Bona has appeared, is this stupid idiot already thinking about impressing and going back to her? “Yah, I swear, if you are trying to look good for that girl, I’m going to kick your ass into oblivion. She comes back and bats her eyelids at you and you are all wet for her already.”

 

“Aish that hurts!” Jeongyeon steps far enough so that Nayeon cannot reach her, “Why would you think it’s her? It can be someone else!”

 

“Well, because no one else will fall for your ugly ass!” Nayeon scoffs as she heads to the toilet.

 

Jeongyeon just laughs at how ironic that is, but she resists the urge to just expose Nayeon there and then. Good things are worth the wait. “Just come out for breakfast when you are done!”

 

\--

 

Chaeyoung can’t take it anymore, there’s this strong fabric fragrant smell lingering all over the room and she can’t even taste her bacon over the strong scent. “Is it just me, or is there a very strong Febreze smell?” 

 

“What smell? God, I just want everything to stop spinning.” Nayeon grumbles as she clutches her head, trying to keep the food down even though her stomach feels so uncomfortable.

 

“Are you okay? If you still feel unwell you can take a day off. I can just call one of the kids in to take over.” Jeongyeon asks worriedly.

 

Nayeon narrows her eyes. Jeongyeon never, ever asks her to take a day off. She points accusingly at the taller girl. “You just want me off your back so you can go on that date with _her_ , isn’t it? Not so easy, Bulbasaur.”

 

Chaeyoung ignores the bickering that is going on, focusing on finding out the source of the smell. She sniffs and leans in to Jeongyeon, realizing that the scent is very strong on her older sister. Grabbing Jeongyeon’s wrist, she takes a whiff and the strong Febreze smell immediately hits her. She pushes Jeongyeon’s hand away with a scoff. “Yah, why did you spray Febreze all over yourself?”

 

Jeongyeon looks guilty, but denies it. “No I didn’t, it’s just the smell of my skin.”

 

“Yeah, right.” Chaeyoung says in disdain as she scoops another mouth of eggs into her mouth. It’s like the eggs are doused in Febreze, the olfactory input overpowering her taste input. She sighs and ignores the taste of it, focusing on the conversation instead. “So, you are getting back with Bona?”

 

“W-what?!” Jeongyeon splutters, turning to look at Nayeon to check her expressions. The girl is staring at her with a death glare and she gulps. “No! Who said so?”

 

Chaeyoung scowls, “Come on, the leather jacket? And the ‘perfume’? It’s so obvious you are trying to impress someone.”

 

Nayeon slams her chopsticks down. “Right?! First she dresses up so fancily, and the next thing she does is to tell me to take a break from work. Like Yoo Jeongyeon asking me to take a break from work? When have you heard that before?”

 

“Never…?” Chaeyoung answers.

 

“Exactly!” Nayeon stands up, dragging the chair harshly against the floor. She points her fingers at her eyes before directing those fingers at Jeongyeon, as if telling her that she’s watching her. “I’m going to watch you carefully, Yoo Jeongyeon.”

 

 _Oh, if only you knew, Im Nayeon,_ Jeongyeon thinks as she watches Nayeon stomp back into her room.

 

“So,” Chaeyoung drawls, “Who is it?”

 

“There’s just someone.” Jeongyeon shoves Chaeyoung’s face away from her.

 

“Fine.” Chaeyoung drops it, knowing that her sister will tell her when the time comes. But that doesn’t mean she can’t tease her a little as she leans in, “But feel free to ask me for dating advice, since you know, I’m the one with a amazing girlfriend while you are sololololo.”

 

She teases with BLACKPINK’s Jennie’s song and Jeongyeon kicks out at the younger girl with a huff, but the fighter dodges it easily with a laugh. Chaeyoung picks up her bag, “I’m going, good luck!”

 

\--

 

Chaeyoung is on her earpiece across the street from the gym when she spots a familiar black car outside the gym. It’s Mina’s family car, and it’s weird that the girl will be here at this time when she usually has school. Nonetheless, she lets her excitement to see Mina overwrite everything, hopping across the street to the car. Knocking on the window, she grins widely, expecting to see her favourite girl in the world.

 

The window winds down, and it’s not Mina, but an older lady in the car. She must have mistaken this car for Mina’s, and she makes a mental note to finally memorize Mina’s family car plate number the next time round to prevent mistakes like this from happening again. She nearly folds herself in two while bowing, apologizing for her mistake. “I’m so sorry Madam, I thought this was my friend’s car…”

 

“No, I don’t think you are mistaken at all, Chaeyoung-ssi.” The lady tells her with a tight smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “I am indeed, here looking for you. Do you perhaps, have a second to spare?”

 

The driver opens the car door for her on the other side, as if telling her to get in and Chaeyoung doesn’t know if she can trust this lady, but she doesn’t look like a kidnapper, so she gets in cautiously. The driver slams the door shut after her, and she flinches a little.

 

“I will keep this short, I’m Tanaka Sachiko.” The lady introduces herself, “Mina’s mom.”

 

Chaeyoung’s eyes widen at this revelation and she curses herself for not realizing this earlier. This lady exudes the same poise and grace Mina has, how did she not put two and two together? She knew she probably had to meet Mina’s parents sooner or later, but she didn’t expect her mother to come to her first. It’s all about the first impressions, and she had obviously screwed hers up. (She’s in sweats for goodness sake!) Nevertheless, she tries to salvage the situation, bowing in respect to her. “Hi Madam.”

 

Sachiko smiles again, but anyone can tell she didn’t mean it. “What conditions would it take for you to break up with Mina?”

 

“Wh-what?” The little fighter asks again, just to make sure she heard correctly. This wasn’t how she imagined the first meeting with the in-laws to be. “Madam, I don’t think I get what you are trying to say…”

 

Sachiko pulls out her cheque book, writing an empty cheque before tearing and holding it out to Chaeyoung. “It’s an empty cheque, fill in the amount as you like.”

 

Chaeyoung narrows her eyes, she hates it when people look down on her. She may not be well-to-do, but at least she lives an honest life. “Madam, I think you have gotten the wrong idea, I’m not dating Mina for her money.”

 

“Alright, but let’s not make it harder for all of us, hmm? Mina is set to inherit her father’s hospital, and she needs all the help and resources she can get to help her protect her inheritance from the other ambitious shareholders of the hospital who are eyeing her spot. Mina needs to be the best person she can ever be to fend off those hyenas, which means she cannot have any flaws.” Sachiko turns to look at Chaeyoung, her eyes cold. “And I’m going to be frank with you Chaeyoung-ssi, but you are a very big flaw to my daughter.”

 

“So why don’t you just stop whatever you have with Mina right now before it gets revealed and hurt her? I will compensate you for your efforts. You gain something out of this, Mina gets to inherit the hospital, and we all get out of this deal happy. Deal?” Sachiko takes Chaeyoung’s hand, placing the cheque into her hand.

 

It’s funny how people who are close to us may be the ones who don’t know what we truly want, and Chaeyoung thinks this is the case for Mina and her mother. Mina just wants to be free from all these expectations, just wants to be freed from the shackles of having to be ‘Little Miss Perfect’ just so she can inherit the hospital. This must have been what Mina was worrying about that night, and why she made her make that promise. She promised Mina, so she will do her darn best to keep it. 

 

“I’m always on Mina’s side, and I don’t think this is what Mina really wants. That is why, I’m going to stay by her side until the day she really wants to break up with me.” Chaeyoung tears up the cheque before bowing at the older lady. She’s about to leave the car, when the older lady speaks up.

 

“I heard your UFC debut match is coming right up, I think it’s going to be such a shame if you lose then.” Sachiko was trying to play nice, dangling a carrot and hoping it will work. But of course, there’s resistance, so she has no choice but to be nasty then.

 

Chaeyoung freezes in her spot. “Are you… threatening me right now?”

 

“I’m just saying. I heard you haven’t been beaten before. It’s going to be a shame for that record to be broken with your debut match in UFC.” Sachiko says, a taunting expression on her face.

 

The little fighter chuckles. “Do whatever you want, I’m not changing my mind.” She leaves the car, slamming the car door in her wake.

 

Sachiko shakes her head, picking up her phone. Why are kids nowadays so stubborn, making her do more work? Why can’t they just listen to her obediently? Why do they always have to make her be the bad person?

 

“Carry on with the plan.”

 

\--

 

Nayeon is on her lunch break, and she’s enjoying her soup while laughing at the variety show that is airing on tv. She barely registers the restaurant’s door opening, too focused on the tv and the food to realize anything else. But the newcomer walks past her, blocking her view of the tv before sitting down in front of her. The bunny immediately loses her appetite, slamming her utensils down as she looks at the girl in front of her who looks very out of place in this cheap kimbap shop with her expensive Gucci clothes and sunglasses.

 

“To what do I owe this pleasure of seeing you here, Kim Bona?” Nayeon leans back in her seat and crosses her arm, knowing that the girl obviously didn’t come here for a meal.

 

“I’m here to look for you, of course. Do you think I’m here to eat things like that?” She says in disgust as she points at the bowl of soup in front of Nayeon. A $5 set meal is not even food, but considered as garbage for a rich girl like Bona.

 

“Say what you want to say and get lost.” Nayeon doesn’t want to deal with her bullshit for another second.

 

“I’m going to win Jeongyeon back anyway, so stop coming in between us. You are just her best friend, always have and always will be.” Bona sneers at her.

 

Nayeon scoffs, ignoring the burn from her words. “Yeah, so why are you so bothered by her best friend?”

 

“Because you want to be more than her best friend.” Bona smirks. “You think I don’t know? But too bad, she’s just too in love with me to have eyes for anyone else.

 

Nayeon looks away, unable to refute her words.

 

Bona’s smug smile grows. “Give it up, Im Nayeon. If it didn’t happen all this time between the two of you, it won’t happen now.”

 

Nayeon really doesn’t want to cry in front of this annoying woman, but she just can’t help it as her eyes well up in tears. She can’t believe she lost to her, seriously what does Jeongyeon even see in her? She can’t help but feel bitter, not because she will never be with Jeongyeon, but because she’s losing her to such an arrogant piece of shit. God, she just wants to punch her and remove that smug look on her face.

 

“Nabongs!” The doorbell dings, and she hurriedly wipes her eyes. Jeongyeon stands at the door, looking alternately between the two of them.

 

“Jeongyeon-ah!” Bona calls, voice purposely pitched higher in tone as she stands, beaming at said girl.

 

But Jeongyeon doesn’t even spare her a glance, heading to Nayeon instead. The latter has her head down and hair covering her face, and that has always been her habit when she cries. She bends down, lifting up Nayeon’s hair just to confirm, but the girl swats her hand away. (That confirms it anyway.) “Why are you crying?” She asks, even if she has an inkling why Nayeon is crying.

 

“Who said I was! Some dust just got into my eye!” Nayeon tries to cover up as she turns away from Jeongyeon, not wanting to let the girl see her crying. It’s not like Jeongyeon hasn’t seen it before, but it doesn’t make it any less embarrassing, even more so that she is crying over her this time.

 

“Wait here for me.” Jeongyeon tells her gently, before straightening up to look stoically at Bona. “Let’s talk outside.”

 

\--

 

“I always love it when you wear leather jackets, it makes you look so much cooler.” Bona coos the minute they step out of the shop, her hand resting on Jeongyeon’s arm. But the latter just pulls away, not comfortable with the touch.

 

“What did you say to Nayeon? Why is she crying?” Jeongyeon just asks straightaway.

 

“I don’t know… I was just talking to her and she started crying.” Bona says, pouting as she steps closer to hug her ex. “I missed you so much.”

 

Jeongyeon pulls her off; Bona’s hug used to make her feel warm, but it only makes her feel suffocated now. Does this girl still think she will believe in her lies, after all these years? “We are over, Bona. I’m not going to believe in your lies and take you back anymore, so don’t come here and bother me anymore. Also, I don't know what you told her, but leave Nayeon alone. I won't be as nice the next time if you make her cry again."

 

She walks away, but Bona’s next words stop her in her track. “Are you really dating her?”

 

Frankly, the rich girl knew from the start that the two had more than friendly feelings for each other, and that is why she had never seen Nayeon as her girlfriend’s best friend, but her love rival. It is also partially the reason why she didn’t and doesn’t want to let go of Jeongyeon, wanting to hold onto the girl just to spite Nayeon. (But she knew deep down, that Nayeon had always held the upper hand in this fight. She had Jeongyeon physically, but never her heart. Jeongyeon’s heart had always belonged to Nayeon, then and now, she just didn’t want to admit it.)

 

“It’s none of your business, isn’t it?” Jeongyeon tells her honestly before stalking back into the shop.

 

Bona watches Jeongyeon disappear into the shop and she just puts on her sunglasses again. This isn’t the end. _Just you wait, Yoo Jeongyeon, I’m not giving up just yet._

 

\--

 

Chaeyoung stares at the picture she has of Mina and her in the locker, trying to process everything that happened just now. It’s the photo she took with Mina during their trip to Busan, and she smiles as she thinks back to that time. Mina made her so happy, happier than when she gets to fight in the octagon, happier than when she manages to win a match. That’s right, she thinks as she runs her finger across the photo, this is the right choice. Even if she has to lose every match of hers from now on because of Mina’s mom, she will gladly do so. She will never give up on Mina, unless the girl wants her to.

 

_I won’t give up on you._

 

Chaeyoung closes the locker and heads out, ready to start training. She needs to be more prepared for whatever sabotages Mina’s mom may come up with. She can try to bring her down, but one thing’s for sure, she’s not going down without a fight. She’s punching the sandbag when Jihyo comes out from her room, fuming as she stomps over.

 

“I’m withdrawing you from the match.” Jihyo tells her, rubbing her temples.

 

“Why?!” Chaeyoung almost shouts. She has to fight this match even if it means she will lose, withdrawing is like succumbing to Sachiko’s tricks, and the fighter wouldn’t give her that satisfaction.

 

“They rearranged the matches, and you got drawn to fight the reigning champion in Korea. You are just a rookie! How can they match you up against the champion?!” Jihyo rants while making exaggerated hand gestures to show her anger.

 

Chaeyoung chuckles. So this is how it is going to be. “It’s okay, I will fight, even if there’s a high possibility that I will lose. I would rather fight and lose, than withdraw like a coward.”

 

“No, you are not going to fight. I’m not going to let you.” Jihyo says with finality, stuffing her hands into her pocket. Chaeyoung frowns, she has never seen Jihyo so adamant.

 

“What’s the worst that can happen? Breaking my winning streak? It’s okay, it’s about time I lost a match anyway, no one is able to win all the time anyway.” Chaeyoung tries to convince the older girl. “Just let me fight, Unnie, please.”

 

“Or maybe you can die from it!” Jihyo shouts at her, and Chaeyoung stares at her in shock. The older girl has always been composed even in anger, and it’s the first time the little fighter has seen her coach flare up like that. Jihyo runs her fingers through her hair exasperatedly. “The reigning champion, the new opponent you are up against, is Eunjin.”

 

Chaeyoung goes quiet, because that name is very familiar to her. She’s the reason why a brilliant fighter like Jihyo has to retire at such a young age and be stuck with coaching rather than fighting in the octagon herself. MMA is a sport, and like every sport, there will always be that one athlete who doesn’t have any sportsmanship. Eunjin is that one athlete.

 

_(Jihyo pants, the wheels in her head whirring as she tries to think of a way to subdue her opponent, Eunjin. They are equally matched, so it all comes down to timing now. She’s planning out her next move when Eunjin launches downwards, aiming for her legs. In a split second, she feels herself being thrown to the ground, and her leg is held in a knee bar. She squirms, trying to get out of it, but it’s of no use, she’s held very tightly and it hurts. She taps out, tapping on Eunjin’s arm to tell her that she’s giving up. But Eunjin doesn’t budge, and the next thing she knows, she hears a crack, and her legs are on fire._

_She screams, and the referee finally pulls Eunjin away, but it’s too late. Jihyo’s leg is already tilted in the wrong direction, and she’s crying from the pain. The last thing she sees before she blacks out is Eunjin smirking down at her.)_

 

“I… I cannot let you fight her, Chaeyoung-ah. She doesn’t trap people in holds to force them to submit and lose the match, she traps people in holds to _break_ them.” Jihyo recounts, tears welling up in her eyes again when she thinks about how she has to retire prematurely because of that match. That match with Eunjin destroyed her whole competitive career, and she can’t let that happen to Chaeyoung too.

 

Chaeyoung clenches her fist. So she’s the asshole who broke Jihyo’s leg and ended her career. This just gives her more reasons to fight. She has to prove Mina’s mother wrong, and get revenge for Jihyo at the same time. No, she’s not just going to fight, she’s going to win. “All the more I should fight then.”

 

Before Jihyo can protest, Chaeyoung stops her. “Trust me, Coach.”

 

Chaeyoung only ever calls her coach when she’s serious, and Jihyo sighs as she closes her eyes, rubbing them. She opens them, eyes determined as if she has made a decision. Jihyo points her finger at Chaeyoung in warning, showing that she’s serious too. “I will let you fight, but you must tap out the very second she has you in a hold. Understand?”

 

“Yes Coach.”

 

\--

 

Jeongyeon enters the shop to see Nayeon dabbing at her eyes, wiping her tears. She frowns and just stands there, wanting to give the girl some space before approaching her. It’s not like she hasn’t seen Nayeon cry before, but she figured the girl would probably feel embarrassed since this time she’s crying because of Bona. She sees Nayeon stirring her soup in a daze, and knows that it is okay to go to her now. She slides into the seat opposite Nayeon, sees the girl still sulking as she sniffs, her nose blocked because of all the crying just now.

 

“I don’t know why there’s so much dust in here, it’s making my eyes tear up. Gosh, they should have an air purifier or something…” Nayeon makes up an excuse, even though Jeongyeon hasn’t said anything yet. The taller girl smiles to herself, knowing that Nayeon must be okay now that she’s making snide remarks.

 

“Glad you are okay then.” Jeongyeon tells her before waving the waiter over to order her food. She continues after, “I told her to leave and stop bothering us.”

 

Nayeon raises her eyebrow, knowing how weak Jeongyeon is for that girl. “I’m surprised you didn’t get back together with her already.”  

 

Jeongyeon clicks her tongue. “I’m an idiot, but I’m not that big of an idiot, okay. Give me some credit.”

 

That makes Nayeon smile a little. “You are an idiot with bad taste. God, why did you even date her?” Nayeon complains as she swings her spoon around, dripping soup everywhere.

 

“Yeah, I know right.” Jeongyeon grimaces as she picks up a tissue and starts cleaning up after her, her words referring more to her than Bona.

 

Her food arrives, and she pushes the plate of dumplings towards the centre of the table. Nayeon loves the dumplings from this store, but she’s always unable to order them because she can’t finish one plate by herself. She should thank the part timers for coming to work earlier, not only because she can grab lunch with Nayeon like this, but also because she managed to intervene in Bona’s confrontation. She doesn’t know what’s the deal with Bona and Nayeon, the two had never seen eye to eye even during the time she was dating Bona. She used to side with Bona, angering Nayeon, but not anymore. Now, she’s going to make sure to protect Nayeon from Bona, and she swears by it.

 

“Eat the dumplings, I know you like them.”

 

Nayeon sighs as if she doesn’t want to eat them, but her chopsticks are moving towards the plate. “I’m on a diet though.”

 

“Why are you on a diet, you don’t even have anyone to impress.” Jeongyeon acts nonchalant as she scoops a spoon of rice into her mouth, hoping to agitate the older girl so that she will spill the beans. _(Say me, say me.)_

 

“I-I can go on a diet for my health! Who says it must be to impress someone!” Nayeon splutters and Jeongyeon smiles. _You are so obvious, Im Nayeon._ How did she not realize it all this time?

 

“Please you are thin like a stick, you should eat more instead.”

 

Nayeon gasps, looking at Jeongyeon as if she’s seen an alien. Jeongyeon never praises her. “Who are you and what have you done to Yoo Jeongyeon?! Return the real Yoo Jeongyeon back to me!”

 

Jeongyeon laughs, poking Nayeon’s forehead to tell her to knock it off. “Get used to it, because I’m going to praise you every day from now on.”

 

Nayeon chokes on her dumpling. “W-what are you talking about?” She asks nervously as she gulps down some water.

 

Jeongyeon hides her smile with her hand. “Just eat your dumplings.”


End file.
